Seasons
by Nekkohime
Summary: During a mission Hiei is poisoned and soon turns to Kurama for help. When Kurama has to take care of the fire demon in his weakened state he has to fight to control his feelings for him. Random chaos insues. MM Yaoi, KuramaHiei
1. Seasons

WARNING!!!!: This is a YAOI / SHOUNEN AI fan fiction ...Which means there will be ROMANTIC and/or SEXUAL situations between TWO MALES. If this aint your cup of tea... then Avert your eyes and read elsewhere. That being said, I am now Flame Retardant. and if I get any flames I consider you to be... well RETARDED. This is My very first fan fiction ever that I've chosen to share. Why did I choose my first fic to be something as heady as an Yaoi? God only knows.prays "I hope they like me" ....Please don't judge too harshly () ... I REALLY hope someone out there will enjoy this. Oh yeah I almost forgot....  
  
Disclaimers:: Yu Yu Hakusho and all of it's characters are NOT OWNED by me. Please don't sue.. cause thing you'd get is my rapidly deteriorating brain (you can have that) and a bowl of Ice cream (which I'm fightin for.)  
  
Summary: Kurama comes to terms with his feelings for Hiei as being more than just a passing infatuation. When the unsuspecting Hiei comes to him for help that fateful summer day Kurama takes him into his care and thus starts a cycle of events that may lead to an confession of love. This is far from a one shot and takes place throughout the course of one year. (Yaoi, Shounen-ai, fluffies) KuramaHiei  
  
No lemon scenes in this chapter though .... All right! I know I should be hung for all my ranting up there about sexual situations but I had to make my point clear!.. There's no sex in this chapter but there are naked bishies... And a lil of Kurama being naughty. Some may find this chapter to be a little slow moving.. but I promise it'll get more funny and lively as the story progresses.   
  
{...}= a thought process from any of the characters. (Mainly Kurama)

{{...}}= Kurama's Youko aspects thoughts.

((...)) = Any Ramblings from the author.  
  
Ahem!... Kay enough of my Babbling... Here you go!  
  
SEASONS   
  
By: Nekohime   
  
????  
  
The low "plunk" sound of a pencil being placed on the desk was followed by a soft sigh as the emerald eyed redhead finished his exam. As usual he was the very first to be done and thusly had more than enough time to gaze out the classroom window. The heat of summer was almost unbearable and made everything in the air seem hazy and heavy. Kurama propped an elbow on the desktop and leaned against his hand. Trying his best not to yawn, he discretely eyed the other students in the room. Not that he needed to be secretive of course. As he was the top student of the class, and of course the teacher proctoring the test would never suspect Minamino Shuichi to cheat.  
  
((Time for the girlies to swoon))   
  
Breathtaking, Gorgeous... Perfect. A few words to describe Shuichi Minamino. He was tall and slim with long silky crimson locks that fell to the center of his back. His thick fringed lashes sat just above eyes so green you could easily get lost in their depths. As many girls did. But not only was he physically beautiful but he was prompt, had the best grades well mannered always smelled good (Even right after gym class where all the other boys smelled like a rotted out dumpster he smelled like the fresh scent of a rose briar.) and was modest at the same time. Plus on top of that he was very single!!!   
  
(Of course his long hair and pretty eyes made him look very effeminate and he was often mistaken for a girl by any who didn't know any better.)  
  
The muted sounds of pencils scribbling against paper and Chairs scraping slightly against the floor was all that could be heard within the brightly sunlit classroom. The room was full of anxious teenagers hunched over desks. Some deep in concentration , a few dozing off.. others eyeing another student's paper in earnest, only to have the classroom proctor turn a sharp eye on them. Someone in the back of the room coughed... And someone's face plummeted to the hard desk with a thud. The proctor jerked his head up with narrowed eyes as almost everyone in the class broke out into a muffled snicker. Kurama seemingly oblivious to all others in the class just continued to gaze out the window lazily.   
  
It was almost too hot to laugh.   
  
{{But we both know why you're really hot.}}  
  
The red head rolled his eyes at the smart remark. Stated by the over sexed Youko in his sub conscious. See it wasn't exactly easy sharing the soul of a promiscuous, Millennia old Fox demon. Everyone's got their own cross to bear ne? But as for right now he digressed and didn't even bother telling the smart ass Youko inside to shut up. Because what the demon said was very true.  
  
Kurama couldn't really blame the summer heat for his discomfort. Since thinking about a certain Fire Demon had a lot to do with it too. Kurama sighed and observed the antics of his fellow classmates with unchecked boredom actually showing on his features.  
  
Of course the boy who had face-vaulted to his desk was not amused. While trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes and glare at his fellow classmates at the same time, only caused them to laugh more. Light tapping of a thin wooden rod against the desk was heard at the front of the room, rendering the class into silence. And thusly the class remained so until the bell chimes alerting the freedom depraved students of Meiou High that their last day of school was finally over.  
  
{finally} Kurama thought in relief.  
  
{{What? Do we finally get to jump Hiei?}}   
  
This time he did tell the Youko to shut up. 


	2. Summer

((there's a reason most of the introduction chapter is all me rambling non- stop. that's cause I dont want to have to repeat anything.. All the same disclaimers apply as well as the Yaoi thing... so here it is in all it's glory I give to you ... summer))  
  
{...} = Thought process from one of the characters

{{...}} Thought process of Youko

((...)) = notes from the author.   
  
SUMMER   
  
This was a daily task that "Shuichi" had to endure. The total onslaught of gushy eyed teenage fan-girls. ((The Authoress included. heheh.. )) No matter how many different routes he used to try to avoid them they always found him. Damn they were good. It was almost like they followed him by scent or something.   
  
which IS a scary thought.   
  
Of course this time was no different and the red head had to plaster a smile over the inner scowl as he wondered why he'd even bothered to try to avoid the boy hungry girls.  
  
As Usual a whole group of them came rushing up to him bearing little gifts of endearment.  
  
"For you Minamino-San It's um.... for when you get too hot.... it's a little fan that sprays water..."  
  
"Shuichi-Kun umm... here's a cake.... I er... baked it myself. I hope you like it."  
  
"Shu...Shuichi-Kun ....I... er... want you to have.... "  
  
By the time everything was all said and done. His left shoulder was sagging from all the gifts stuffed into his poor back pack. He'd smiled and accepted kindly and was very glad that this time around none of the girls confessed their undying love to him. It was sad to see their crest-fallen faces once he told them he wasn't looking for a girlfriend. Again he had to wonder why it was all the girls attacked in groups that way. Each one of them wanted him to herself . If one of them were to actually become his girlfriend, she'd probably be found dead in a ditch somewhere about a week later at most. Kurama remembered last year when only a mere rumor of him having a girlfriend got out. He shuddered at the memory of girls stalking in droves.   
  
{Who'd started that rumor anyway?}  
  
Well... at least this would be the last day for a while that he'd have to go through this. Plus on an even brighter note, this just so happened to be the season that Hiei usually stuck around in the Ningenkai rather than venturing into the demon world. Kurama was sure that by this time most of the Makai was covered in a nice thick blanket of ice for the snow season. Definitely not an ideal climate for a fire demon right? An unconscious smile spread across his features then as he thought of those ruby almond shaped eyes, that cute little nose, that deep voice that belied his own youthful appearance and those lips ...rarely smiling....unless during battle as an enemy is ensnared in a deadly attack.  
  
And then almost as if on cue... On the very edge of his senses Kurama picked up on a familiar Ki signature. But it flickered out as instantly as it had appeared. He stopped in his tracts and just stared upward as if trying to grasp onto the source. His green eyes narrowed as he picked up on the Ki again. Something wasn't right. The Ki reading wasn't stable as it was constantly wavering. And usually Hiei didn't alert anyone to his presence at all. Now he was sure anyone with even an ounce of spirit awareness could pick up on it without even trying. The source of the energy was undeniably heading straight towards him.  
  
There was a slight displacement of air and a single leaf fell from a branch over head as a small dark figure appeared there. Kurama looked up at said dark figure and his eyes widened in shock.  
  
He barely had enough time to catch the fire demon as Hiei Collapsed into his arms. Kurama's heart twisted in sudden panic. He looked down at the small fire demon in his embrace, his eyes widening more.   
  
"Hiei?! " He could barely keep the note of panic from his voice.  
  
{ By Inari! his Ki is so weak!... Hiei... What happened to you??}  
  
The Koorime was not unconscious though.Those almond shaped eyes were wide open and were larger than normal making his already young looking face seem even younger. The expression was one Kurama had never seen before. Awe?... rapture?   
  
{What the hell?}  
  
"Hiei... What happened?" He asked with a gentle shake to rouse the demon from his trance-like state. Hiei turned that intense enraptured gaze full blast on Kurama. Kurama gulped and had to catch his breath.   
  
{Would it be bad to take him right here?} Kurama furiously shook his head at the dirty thought. And he heard the amused laughter of the Youko distantly in his mind.  
  
{Not now stupid Youko!}  
  
"K'rama ... " Hiei drawled in a quiet voice.  
  
"Yes Hiei?"   
  
"Do... Your dance again fox...." Kurama raised a brow.  
  
"Dance?"   
  
"The one where you touch the sky..." Then a queer little smile lit up the Koorime's elfin features before he lost consciousness.  
  
Kurama thought his heart stopped the instant he saw that smile. But he didn't have time to bask in it's glow since Hiei now fell unconscious. He didn't hesitate once. The idea of going home the conventional way was completely abandoned as the fox nimbly took to the trees. He held the precious bundle tight to him and had to bite down on his lower lip to stop the wild thoughts running through his head. ((When did he become such a perv?))   
  
Kurama immediately dismissed it to new teenage hormones and his already overly lustful Youko side. The combination of the two? .... Damn near deadly if you were trying to resist the urge to jump a friend.  
  
But Hiei wasn't just any friend now was he?. He glanced down at the sleeping fire-baby in his arms. The object of many restless nights. The one he knew he'd fallen in love with from the instant he fell into that ruby gaze. At the time of course Kurama had thought the feelings he had for the Koorime to be pure lust. And he tried to seduce him time and again. But Hiei remained oblivious to his pursuit. Even when Kurama said something that was just screaming 'HEY I'M RELATED TO SEX!!!'. Hiei never got it.  
  
It was then that Kurama had realized that the fierce, blood-thirsty and sometimes downright evil fire demon, was an innocent. At least where sex was concerned... But then Kurama thought...well of course he was an innocent. Hiei rarely let anyone near enough to touch him let alone lay with him. Then of course there was that whole "Forbidden Child" thing. Hiei was thrown off the side of the floating island of the Koorime the very day he was born. It was because he was both male AND a fire demon which made him by their standards... very forbidden since they were a race of all female ice demons of course.  
  
The worse thing about that day was not only being tossed away.. but the fact that he was aware the whole time!... It had forever left it's scars on the innocent Fire demon's heart. Kurama was sure that Hiei didn't think he'd ever be wanted or needed by anyone. It was sad.... such a waste. Hiei remained completely unaware of how incredibly attractive he is... he never needed his looks to survive anyway. Hiei probably assumed he wasn't at all attractive. Seeing as how most demons usually mocked him for his small stature in battle. (that was of course before Hiei ripped them a new one or two.)  
  
With all his thoughts Kurama only just realized he was standing on the branch of the tree in front of his window. The same tree Hiei often perched in when he spent the night in the Ningenkai. Kurama had always wondered why the fire demon chose to stay so close. Using his Ki. he commanded the the potted rose plant on a small table just beside the window to grow thick and rapid vines that easily pushed the window open to receive it's master.  
  
Kurama nimbly leaped onto the inner ledge and hopped to the floor. He thought he heard Hiei murmur something in his slumber but couldn't be sure. After dumping his backpack to the floor and carried Hiei to his bed. He gulps again as this was very similar to a scene from one of his many fantasies about the fire demon.   
  
{Gods if only he were aware and willing}  
  
{{Who said he has to be aware?}} Asked the deep suggestive voice of the inner Youko.  
  
{Would you please shut up?}  
  
{{Why? we only wanna play with him a little.}}  
  
{YOU only want to play with him a little Cant you see he's hurt? Gods Why are you being such a lecher?}  
  
{{Cause we haven't gotten a good lay in 16 years. If you'd stop acting like a monk and bed one of those cute little human girls...}}  
  
{Just SHUT UP!!} And with that he completely shut the Youko out. Though he knew he couldn't do that for very long.  
  
He sighed and gently lay Hiei down among plush pillows. He straightened and took a step back...   
  
{Now what?}  
  
{Stand here and stare at him all day?}   
  
He supposed he should maybe check him out for injuries? As far as he could see, there weren't any. Well Hiei was fully dressed after all. Maybe the injury was somewhere covered?. And besides it must be awfully hot in that black robe in this heat. But he looked so peaceful.... and adorable. His face was relaxed in his slumber and completely unguarded.   
  
But Hiei never was unguarded. He must be sleeping really deeply then.  
  
It pained him to see the strong Demon in such a vulnerable state.   
  
Kurama reached down with hands that were slightly shaky. The back of his hand touched Hiei's forehead just below the warded Jagan. He was Hot to the touch!...(well duh ... he is a fire demon) But this was not normal. Yet his skin wasn't even flushed. if anything he was paler than usual. And his Ki was so weak it seemed barely enough to sustain the fire demon. His breathing was steady and he slept peacefully, his face relaxed as if taking an afternoon nap.  
  
For a few minutes Kurama just stood there contemplating, his fingers brushing the bangs away from Hiei's sweaty brow. Hiei had obviously loss the ability to control his body temperature.   
  
{Okay Kurama... just breathe.}   
  
With much care Kurama reached under Hiei's back and pulled him up, letting the demon's head rest on his shoulder. He removed the white scarf from his neck. He noticed there was no blood stain. But there wouldn't be if his suspicions were correct. He then proceeded to remove the black cloak fire demon was so fond of when his eye caught the tiniest pin prick of a puncture wound on the left side of Hiei's neck.  
  
And his suspicions were confirmed. Hiei was definitely Infected by the seeds of the Makai Mind Warp plant. And now he knew these next few days were going to be .... interesting to say the least...  
  
Okay.... He thought with some exasperation. But for some reason his brain refused to process any thought further pass that point.  
  
He had no idea how he'd managed to completely undress Hiei and get him into the tub without groping him once... but he wasn't sure that was going to remain the case if he stood there and stared at the glorious naked body any longer.He tried not to look. He really did! Kurama thanked all deities listening for having a private bathroom in his room.   
  
{Hiei is... err.... rather large for his small frame.}  
  
He quickly grabbed a towel as he felt a major nosebleed coming on.  
  
Kurama was pleasantly surprised that the Youko inside didn't immediately hoot and holler and fill his head with wild thoughts. That would have been an overload. It was then that he realized that in his haste to get Hiei na.... err... Under cool water that he had yet to extract the plant seeds from the his neck. Hiei's head and shoulders were the only parts of his body not submerged under water.   
  
With yet another sigh of effort, Kurama knelt down next to the tub and placed a hand just over the small hole in Hiei's neck. He closed his eyes and concentrated.   
  
(.....)  
  
(.....)  
  
..... Nothing.....  
  
His eyes flashed open.  
  
{Just What the hell is going on!? Why wont my Ki respond?}  
  
{{Because maybe it doesn't like being shut out...}}  
  
Oh... so the Youko returns...  
  
{what are you babbling about?}  
  
{{You shut me out... you shut all of me out.}}  
  
{Oh come on! stop being a hard ass and just help me... you know you want to.}  
  
{{That a fact?}}   
  
{Otherwise you wont be able to jump Hiei like you want to.}  
  
{{Heh... you mean like WE want to. Besides you wont let me jump him either way.}}  
  
{Come on just help already! please!?} Kurama finally pleaded on his very wit's end.  
  
{{All right Fine... But only cause Hiei's just so cute!}} The Youko sounded eerily like one of those gushy school girls.   
  
{{Oh yeah... By the way... you missed a spot.}} The teen raised an eyebrow and looked in the mirror seeing a small spot of blood just under his nose. He wiped at it vigorously amidst the youko's fading laughter in his head.  
  
A few minutes later found Kurama destroying three nearly microscopic sized seeds. (Flushing them in the toilet would only have released them into the water supply)   
  
He looked over his shoulder at the still unconscious form of spiky black hair. In this light. his hair kinda had a bluish tinge to it. He moved closer to him now checking him over. Hiei most definitely have cooled down now...  
  
Again he couldn't help but stare at the small demon in rapture. his hand lingered over Hiei's brow then moved higher into his hair, brushing his surprisingly soft locks in a gentle caress. His finger traced over the white start burst against the midnight tresses.   
  
{{Having fun?}}  
  
Kurama nearly jumped out of his skin.   
  
Damn that insufferable stupid Youko!  
  
Somehow He managed to perform yet another miracle of the day. He'd successfully wrapped Hiei in a towel and lay him down on the bed without groping him! He would be feeling pretty proud of himself right now if it weren't for the next task. He was making a nice little pile of discarded clothing right next to his chest.   
  
"Clothes... Clothes... there has to be something in here..."  
  
He turned his scrutiny to a pair of old sweat pants before discarding it  
  
"Too big..."  
  
He found a pair of pink trousers he didn't even remember getting.  
  
"He'd hate that... too big anyway."  
  
He glanced up at the sleeping youkai on his bed. A fierce blush darkened his cheeks   
  
{Okay maybe I could at least give him a big shirt or something.}  
  
He grabbed the first shirt he saw which was an old white gym tee-shirt with the Meiou High school insignia printed on front.  
  
{Okay.. now for the hard part.}  
  
He went over to Hiei's side and sat him up. He couldn't believe he was able to move Hiei around so much without waking him up. Usually if someone burped three miles away Hiei would wake up with his sword ready.  
  
All right... maybe that was exaggerating a little bit... But not by much.  
  
He pulled the shirt over his head and pulled the arms through. Just when he was pulling the shirt lower to cover Hiei's more private areas, he almost fell over when the loud and heavy pounding on his front door could be heard from downstairs.  
  
The teen shut his eyes and resisted the urge to tell whoever it was banging on the door to go to hell. He Lay Hiei down and tucked him in then rushed downstairs to see what all the commotion was about.   
  
Good thing his mother wasn't home yet. She probably would have been scared out of her wits.  
  
"Oii! Kurama You there!?"  
  
His peeved expression softened a bit as he recognized the voice. But not by much.  
  
He opened the door and was greeted with the worried faces of his two companions.   
  
The taller of the two was Kuwabara. He had puffy Orange hair and a face only a mother could love. (( Heh... Sorry Kuwa fans... I like him and all but you gotta admit. The boy aint cute ))   
  
He wore a blue school uniform that was similar to the shorter boy's attire instead his was green.  
  
{Why was Kuwabara playing with a Kitten? ... Oh well...}  
  
In contrast to Kuwabara's unattractiveness Yusuke was by far a very handsome boy. He had very dark brown hair and expressive brown eyes. He looked harmless enough but the inner city gangs (and Kuwabara) knew better. He was sharp at the tongue and sometimes very short tempered. And had dealt out many black eyes busted lips and cracked skulls in his day.  
  
But like Kuwabara, Yusuke was very loyal and had a good heart.  
  
((Yay! I loves Yusuke! hugs Yusuke plushie))  
  
"You could have called." Kurama stated dully.  
  
Yusuke returned a wry grin.   
  
"Well we didn't have time."  
  
"Hey you haven't seen the shrimp have you?" The orange haired youth asked after putting the purring kitten on his shoulder.  
  
Kurama smiled. Of course the shrimp Kuwabara was referring to was Hiei. They weren't exactly the best of buddies Hiei and Kuwabara. Almost every time the two came within twenty feet of each other they would exchange death threats.  
  
"As a matter of fact I have. Come in." He stood aside and let them in.  
  
The boys all settled in the living room. Yusuke and Kuwabara on the sofa while Kurama   
  
took the big armchair across from them.  
  
"We've been lookin all over for him We would've came straight here but Lunk-head over here wanted to check at Genkai's and gush over Yukina all day."  
  
" Baka! I thought I sensed the squirts Youki over there!" Kuwabara yelled in defense.  
  
"Oh and I guess you thought you sensed his Ki from the cat too."  
  
"Eikechii Was left without bein fed! I had to go make sure she was all right."  
  
"Which is why you brought the furball along right?"  
  
"Ahem...." As amusing as it was to watch the boys trade smart remarks. Kurama had to interrupt.   
  
" If you're all done. Would any of you mind telling me what happened to Hiei?"  
  
Insert two anime sweat drops complements of Yusuke and Kuwabara.   
Yusuke replied.  
"Well... Ya see... Koenma called us early in the butt-crack of dawn for a mission. And you know how the toddler is." (Koenma really was a toddler. pacifier and all. But he just happened to be the heir to the spirit realm and was a couple of centuries old so mind your manners!)  
  
Kurama's eyes widened at this "there was a mission? ... But why wasn't I called?"  
  
Yusuke let a grin spread "Well we all know how anal you are about your school work and stuff.. And Koenma knew you had finals today so he didn't want to bother you."  
  
Kurama shot the boy an exasperated glare and Yusuke's grin only widened.   
  
"Plus the demon we fought was just some low class wussie who was going around robbing human graves and stuff. He was pretty weird." Kuwabara added while scratching behind the kittens ears fondly.  
  
"This guy was a freak. he was growing some sick ass tree with human corpses. That image's gonna keep me up for a few weeks on end." Yusuke said.  
  
"So he was a plant wielder then?"  
  
"Nah... he was using some kinda potion or something he couldn't will anything to grow like you."  
  
"He had that friggin blow gun too don't forget about that Urameshi".   
  
"Oh yeah... That's how he caught Hiei. Nobody was expecting him to pull that out at the last second. But Hiei toasted his hide, right before he started acting all weird." Yusuke said thoughtfully.  
  
"Weird? ..." Kurama had a good idea what they meant... still he really wanted to know exactly what his fire demon {My fire demon?} did.  
  
Judging from the very wide grin spreading across Kuwabara's face... what Hiei did must have been pretty embarrassing.  
  
"Heh... You should'a seen the way shorty was drooling all over himself like a baby.... Hahah! Then he started twirling around and around like a lunatic"  
  
Yusuke joined in with his friends cackling.  
  
"Yeah it was pretty hilarious seeing the "big" bad Hiei acting like a kid. we were going to help him but he just disappeared. and we've been looking for him since." He ended while trying to stifle a chuckle  
  
Kurama sat there with his arms crossed and his eyes closed and waited patiently for the two boys to get a hold of themselves and stop laughing.... this took a little while and Kuwabara's high pitched squeal of laughter made them all wince... even the kitten.  
  
"It really isn't that amusing... Hiei could have very well died from the toxins of that poison. The Makai mind warp plant ((Ugh... I cant find a better name for it!)) is nothing to trifle with.... It causes it's prey to go into a hallucinating state and regress all the way to child hood. all the while the poison eats away at the victims memories and life force until they just disappear."  
  
(....) Utter silence   
  
That got their attention He thought rather smugly.  
  
"Err.... K- Kurama...?" He heard Yusuke stammer nervously. Had he scared the two teens that much?  
  
Kurama had kept his eyes closed throughout his whole little speech and only just now opened them to notice the two boys looking over his shoulder with eyes widened like saucers. In all his centuries of living NEVER had that look been a good sign. So he slowly and hesitantly turned to see what horrors lurked just behind him.   
  
Okay he was sure his jaw must have hit the floor now.. and he had to viciously fight an oncoming nosebleed. There stood Hiei donning nothing but the big tee shirt Kurama had given him. The collar was too big and hung to the side revealing one pale little shoulder. The shirt stopped just above the knees showing off his legs...  
  
... All brain processes .... discontinued...  
  
Hiei held the blanket that Kurama had put over him and had it dragging behind him as if it were a security blanket.. His eyes were heavy lidded. Of course this was because he'd just woken up but... it made him look...   
  
{Gods....} Oh... Looks like Kurama got his brain to work again.  
  
He was so relieved that someone had found their voice.   
  
"Oii... shorty...What's... wrong with you?" Kuwabara's voice sounded a lot more nervous than it usually did when he was taunting Hiei.  
  
Surprise # 1. Hiei didn't even so much as flinch at the insult.  
  
Surprise # 2. Hiei approached the jittery group of teens with a big childish grin.  
  
Surprise # 3. Hiei was climbing into Kurama's lap.  
  
((heh heh heh.... laughs fiendishly ))  
  
SENSORY OVERLOAD!   
  
The other two teens in the room stared at the spectacle that was Hiei and Kurama. Hiei was snuggling .... SNUGGLING!.... Okay.. anyone who knew Hiei knew that Hiei and snuggling doesn't even go in the same paragraph and damn sure didn't go in the same sentence. Kurama's own face was redder than his hair and for the first time he seemed to be completely at a loss for words.  
  
{Oh.. Oh gods! .. This is it... I'm gonna die!} He was going crazy. There he was... in front of his two team mates his crush in his lap snuggling him to no end.  
  
{All right hole in ground don't fail me now... just swallow me whole this time.}   
  
((Kurama's a lil over dramatic ne?))  
  
Now the only thing he needed to complete his inevitable undoing would be for his mother to come in this very instant.  
  
On Cue! As always...Everyone's eyes shot to the front door on the other end of the room as the doorknob suddenly shook as someone was turning it on the other side.  
  
Maybe it was that frantic, panicked horrified look rolled up into one that told his teammates what to do. Or maybe it was that unspoken language between comrades. But they all jumped up as if they'd planned it to the last detail.  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara jetted to the door to block the way and Kurama leapt up to the top of the stairway with Hiei in his arms.  
  
"Oi! Shiori-San!" Came Yusuke's overly (forced) cheerful voice.  
  
"Err... Do you need ... umm help with those bags?" Came Kuwabara's usual clumsy voice.  
  
She sounded a little surprised to say the least but she remained pleasant all the same.  
  
"Oh.. my I didn't know Shuichi was having company over... I would have tidied up a bit..."  
  
Kurama knew the boys must have sweatdroppped just then because Kurama's house was nothing if not impeccably neat and clean.  
  
"Err... yeah" Yusuke recovered first.   
  
"Kura.. I mean Shuichi's upstairs right now... he should be down in a few minutes."  
  
He knew that Yusuke had emphasized the words "few minutes" because he wanted him to get his ass in gear and hide Hiei....  
  
But... he. was a little... distracted just now.  
  
"You smell good..." Hiei breathed against his neck.  
  
Self control was something he'd prided himself in throughout this life and the last... and yet.... those three little words threatened to destroy it in an instant.  
  
"Hiei..." Kurama sighed the name pleadingly.   
  
{He's poisoned... Don't rape him... He's poisoned... Don't rape him.}  
  
He closed all of his thoughts off and immediately took Hiei to his room and put the small fire demon on the bed.   
  
"I want you to listen okay?"  
  
Hiei just stared up at him with big ruby eyes. Kurama had to look away. He focused on the blankets.   
  
"I want you to stay here for a little while... and be as quiet as you can okay?... I'll be right back in a few minutes do you understand?"  
  
Only now he looked up at those expectant eyes. And found himself blushing an even deeper red and focusing on the headboard.  
  
"Will you do that for me Hiei?"  
  
He gasped as he felt arms wrap around his neck and pull him into a very fierce hug.  
  
For what seemed like the hundredth time today his brain shut down again. Kurama absentmindedly returned the embrace by wrapping his arms around the Korrime's waist.   
  
Somebody up there must really be having fun tormenting him this way...   
  
All right... Self control... you used to have something like that... find it... ((Is laughing Histerically))  
  
After a few long moments. With self restraint summoned from who knows where, Kurama pulled himself away from the hug and gently pushed Hiei back against the pillows.   
  
"Please... just stay here okay?... I promise I'll be right back"  
  
He stepped just out of Hiei's reach. and slowly backed away until his back hit the edge of the door frame.   
  
"Stay.." He reiterated once more before locking the room door and leaving the fire demon sitting there blinking.   
  
Hiei did sit there for a few minutes just before eyeing Kurama's backpack that was bulging with the gifts from all his high school fan girls. ((Oh.... I hope he likes my apple turnover! ))  
  
Kurama rushed away from the room as if the very creatures from the depths of hell were on his heels. He stopped just at the top of the stairs and took a few calming breaths... He had to find a way to endure all of this... He didn't know if Hiei in fact understood him or not but he knew that if he'd stayed in that room for another second he might have done something... very bad. Hiei's mind had regressed to the point of early childhood and was thusly very easy to influence. He could not do anything to jeopardize that innocence.  
  
He sighed to himself.  
  
{I'm surprised the Youko hasn't tried to rape him yet} He thought mirthlessly.  
  
{{Because I know that sooner or later you're gonna do that yourself... Then you cant blame me for being a perverted bastard.}}  
  
He sighed to himself once more.  
  
{Touche...} The Youko was partially right... and he was a little too drained to commence in an argument with himself.  
  
He went downstairs and appeared outwardly as calm and pristine as he always did by the time he went into the kitchen where everyone else was.  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara was happily pigging out on the sandwiches and orange juice his Kasaan had prepared for them at the table. Kuwabara's kitten Eikechii was lapping away at a bowl of milk on the counter while his mother petted her fondly.  
  
"Hello Shuichi" She greeted in that same merry voice she always carried.  
  
"Hi mom..." He said   
  
Both Yusuke and Kuwabara looked up at him with inquiring eyes... He only tilted his head slightly in a barely noticeable nod that told them he'd taken care of everything. They quickly returned to their eating.  
  
"Did school let out early today? I didn't expect you back so soon."  
  
"Hai ... anyone who completed all of their tests was allowed to go home."  
  
"Ah... And how did you do?..."  
  
"Pretty well I suppose."  
  
"Geek" The mumbled comment came from the general direction of the table  
  
Kurama shot both the boys a death glare but they both seemed pretty interested in their plates and eating and seemed to be holding back laughter. Shiori didn't. She just giggled merrily at her son's friends antics.  
  
"What are you boys up to then? " She asked as she went over to the cupboard to fetch a glass.  
  
"Well... we were planning on hanging around upstairs for a little while If that is okay with you of course."  
  
She placed a hand on her hips and gave him a look that made her seem stung by what her son had just said.   
  
"Why Shuichi! Of course they can stay!"   
  
Just then a rather loud bang was heard from upstairs... Everyone jumped and looked up at the ceiling as if it held the answer to the ruckus.   
  
"Mew..." Eikechii mewed in the confused silence.  
  
"Goodness.. What was that?"  
  
Quick as a thief ((He was one in his former life after all.)) He came up with a cover up in the blink of an eye.  
  
"Oh... It must've been my T.V. I left it on by accident."  
  
Okay so it was a lame cover up.... but that's not the point.  
  
"Y-Yeah... we were.. er watching a movie before right?" Kuwabara said most unconvincingly.  
  
"Oh?... A movie?.. Could I watch with you?"  
  
"NO!!!" Came the response from all three teens.  
  
She looked shocked.  
  
"Um... No mother... It's not your kind of movie. Violence... blood gore... you know that kind of stuff... I know how much you hate those really bloody movies." He said in yet another cover up.  
  
After a few moments consideration she finally replied just as merrily as before.  
  
"Oh.. all right.... Go .. run along then. You dont want to miss your movie do you?" She giggled.  
  
"H-Hai..." He looked to the two teens who had long finished their sandwiches.  
  
"Come on guys."  
  
Shiori watched with an eye of motherly fondness as the boys practically bolted out of the kitchen. They were at that age after all.. It was natural for the boys to watch those kinds of movies. she only grinned and went on about her daily house chores.  
  
((Hee hee ... Shiori thinks they're watching pornos!))  
  
Kurama was the first one up the stairs and he quickly unlocked the door to his room and flung it open. The sight that greeted him really threw him for a loop. There Hiei was... covered in a mess of chocolate. the rest of his room didn't fare much better as there was all kinds of chocolate finger smears all about his walls furniture and bed spread. But that's not what had Kurama ready to jump out of his skin.   
  
Hiei's back was to the door and he was jumping up and down on Kurama's bed happily. The shirt he was wearing flew up and as he descended everything seemed to go in slow motion. There for all and any to see was Hiei's firm round delectable bottom.  
  
"HIEI!!"   
  
Kurama screamed in shock causing the poor unawares Korrime to nearly fall off the bed. Kurama was nearly ran over from behind as his two other team mates rushed into the scene from behind to see what had caused the usually collected fox youkai to burst like that. Their eyes went wide as saucers again as they looked at Hiei with chocolate smudged all over his fingers and face.  
  
Hiei quickly sat down trying to look as if he hadn't moved from his spot as directed. He guiltily eyed Kurama's backpack and stared down at the floor.  
  
"Whoa.... This is... weird." Was the only thing Yusuke could think of to say.  
  
Finally recovering from his state of paralyzed retardation. Kurama responded.  
  
"As I said... He's totally regressed... to a child like state..."  
  
They all moved into the room .. though cautiously as if there were trap land minds in the floor. Soon they were all standing around Kurama's chocolate covered bed holding the still very guilty looking fire demon.  
  
"Can't believe the squirt made all this mess in just a matter of minutes." Kuwabara said looking around. His kitten had found it's way over to the discarded apple turnover and sniffed at it a few times before leaving it alone. ((Hey!!.. It took me all day to make that!!!))  
  
"Even though it's kinda funny... He can't stay like this forever... can he?" Yusuke asked with concern.  
  
"No... since the seeds have been removed... He'll soon return to normal."  
  
"Will he remember any of this?"  
  
"He may... but it will be very hazy...If he remembers it all he just might kill all of us to save himself from embarrassment. You know how he is."  
  
"Heh... you're right about that. But how long will he be this way? Believe it or not, I kinda want the old Hiei back.. This one's .... kinda... scary" Kuwabara stated.  
  
Kurama patted Hiei on the head in a gentle fond manner.  
  
"Well... in most cases the effects of the plant can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to wear off... even if the seeds are removed right away... But knowing how Hiei is... I give it a couple of days... a week at most." At least he hoped it was no longer than that... He didn't know if he could resist the urges for very long.  
  
"Yeah..." Both boys said as they watched Hiei now playing with Kuwabara's kitten after she jumped onto his lap suddenly.   
  
Everyone in the room remained silent for a few moments as they watched the rare display of gentleness between Hiei and the fluffy kitten as she purred happily at the attention she was getting.   
  
"Heh... You know... he's not so bad this way actually... I mean... he always did look like a little kid before. In a way this doesn't seem really out of place.... Ya know?"   
  
Yusuke said it and both the others agreed silently. They stayed that way a few minutes more when Yusuke interjected again.  
  
"Well... I think we should get going then... As long as Hiei's with you he's definitely gonna get better in no time.!"  
  
Kuwabara barely had time to grab his kitten before he was being dragged out of the room by the shorter boy.  
  
"We'll call you later and check on the squirt. " Yusuke said  
  
"Yeah... uh... see you around" Kuwabara managed to say before being pulled through the doorway.  
  
Kurama just stood there a few minutes and listened to his friends say their goodbyes to his mother before leaving and then was left with Hiei and the chocolate factory that was his room.  
  
He felt his knees give way from mental fatigue and just supported himself against his bed. His head was buried in his arms and he closed his eyes as he tried to go over in his head the events of the day.. and the events for the rest of the day.  
  
{Clean up this mess before Kasaan kills me}  
  
{Try not to molest Hiei}  
  
{Think of a way to hide Hiei from your mother.}  
  
{Try not to molest Hiei}  
  
{Find a way to keep Hiei from destroying your room again.}  
  
{Try not to molest Hiei}  
  
Crap... He wasn't really getting anywhere with this train of thoughts... And... was Hiei petting him?. Gods of all the times why did he have to touch him like that! Kurama's head quickly shot up and he looked into those crimson spheres.   
  
Gods but he really is beautiful though.. and he looks so adorable when he smiles like that.  
  
"I'm still hungry K'rama... I want more."  
  
{First things first... COLD SHOWER!}  
  
Kurama quickly rushed off to the bathroom and shut the door... once again leaving a very confused... very curious fire demon to his own devices.  
  
To be continued....   
  
Well... that's marks the end of my first chapter... I hope you liked it... as I begged before.. please dont judge too harshly... This is my first ficcie after all.   
  
I hope you didn't mind Hiei's total OOCness I promise you it wont last very long and in the next chapter I'll go more into detail about his thought process rather than focusing on Kurama's... Originally I was going to make this fic just 6 chapters. you know prologue, epilogue and the four seasons of the year... but seeing how this first chapter went on so very long I'm going to go for 12 ... though I'm not sure exactly how much more... I do however have some kind of idea where this story is going and I hope somebody will enjoy and go along with it.  
  
the Next chapter's name will be called "Sweet Snow" .. See ya then! 


	3. Sweet snow

This chapter is a proclamation of love for both Hiei and I's Love of Ice cream   
  
(though oddly enough... there wont be that much of it in here.... funny ne?)  
  
My inspiration for this chapter was the first DVD of Chobits. Heheh... now That's a funny anime!  
  
Disclaimer::I dont own Yu Yu Hakusho... If I did I'd be sitting on a mountain of chocolate flavored Pocky Right now... And I'd Buy Baskin Robbins and Haagen Daas.   
  
(this is a Yaoi or Shounen Ai... if you dont know what that means I'll Tell you... Two words. Male Love.) If you still cant figure it out... I suggest you proceed to the first grade and learn to read.  
  
((I want to thank my very first reviewer that went out of their way to email me with kind words of encouragement. (qwerty... thanks a ton and a half.). . I want to thank all the others who reviewed this fic I really hope you're all enjoying it ... thank you))  
  
There will be little to no Youko in this chapter.. but dont worry... He'll definitely make an appearance soon enough!  
  
{...} = A verbalized thought

{{...}} Youko thoughts

((...)) = Any stupid rambling from me  
  
Sweet Snow   
  
-- Flash Back --  
  
Standing in the middle of the street of what appeared to be a deserted city block were three youths. It was barely light out and the pre-dawn sky was just showing the hints of morning.  
  
They had been chasing that damned Sick and twisted youkai for what seemed like forever. Though it had only been an hour since they'd found the demon snooping around in a graveyard and growing some revolting tree which roots, base, and branches were made up of human corpses the fruit of the tree were human heads. After the usual insults were flung and the battle ensued the injured demon used some cheap trick to get away. And now the three of them were really starting to get pissed... All right... Maybe one of the three.  
  
Hiei cursed irritably under his breath as he waited for the carrot headed oath to pin point the escaped youkai's Ki signature.Spirit awareness he may have but his ability was nothing next to Hiei's Jagan. If it weren't for a certain "probation period" He would have been able to use it.He really had no patience and was growing steadily more irritated at the double warded head band he had to wear.. Hiei knew he should have just bisected the demon in two upon meeting. If it weren't for the ridiculous "Detain and question" objective he would have done so.  
  
"Uh.... I Cant sense his Youki anywhere.. It's like he disappeared or something." Kuwabara finally said.  
  
"Shit" Yusuke swore  
  
"Hn... Baka useless ningen." Hiei spat  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT!?"  
  
A slight shift in the air about three quarters of a mile away.  
  
Hiei's eyes narrowed.   
  
"There."  
  
In a black blur the fire demon disappeared and was suddenly at the other end of the block then flitted away again leaving his two team mates far in the dust to follow his break neck pace.  
  
"Damn it Hiei Wait Up!" Yusuke hollered.  
  
The low cling of metal against metal was carried on the wind in the distance causing the teens to redouble there efforts to reach their impatient ally. They entered through the entrance of a small park and soon came upon a clearing of benches to find Hiei locked in battle with the now desperate looking demon.  
  
The demon was humanoid in form and by his features may have been considered attractive by human standards. However pale blue skin, sharp fangs stubby horns on the forehead Yellow eyes and wild green hair doesn't exactly put you on the top in a beauty pageant. ((Oh well))  
  
The demon was now forced back against a tree. Both Yusuke and Kuwabara knew that his end was near... In fact they were surprised he'd even lasted this long... the demon must have performed some really quick and crafty maneuvers to keep Hiei from slicing him in two. Hiei wasn't one to play around with his opponents... that was more Kurama's style....  
  
And... speaking of the fox....  
  
Hiei set his hand ablaze with a dark flame fueled by his own Youki and anger.   
  
{Why the hell isn't he here?}  
  
It was then that he'd remembered what the toddler ruler of the spirit world had said...  
  
{Oh... right..} He thought as he set off towards his prey at an nearly unfathomable speed.  
  
{Kurama has some sort of exam or something...} He came up to the cowering demon just as the demon quickly put up a defense.....as he'd expected.  
  
{Why the hell am I thinking of the fox at a time like this?} He thought as he blurred out of vision at the last possible second and reappeared about fifteen feet above the youkai... Surely the demon wouldn't be able to block this...  
  
{But I dont see why that Baka Kitsune even bothers.} Hiei was now mere inches away from the demon... The demon looked up eyes widened in horror... there was no escaping it.  
  
{Hn...stupid ningen customs!} ((Hell yeah... school sucks!)) Those yellow eyes narrowed suddenly... And just as Hiei's flaming hand came into contact with the demon's neck he too felt something puncture his own neck... it was a small needle prick nothing to worry about... But then he watched those yellow eyes alight with a mysterious amusement as the body of the demon melted away and withered to dust.  
  
Hiei landed on his feet in cat like stance before slowly standing up and pulling out a small green thorn like needle from his neck. He watched as the wind picked up and carried away the remains of demon he'd just turned to ashes... The wind was so loud in his ears he barely heard Urameshi and the oath calling over to him...  
  
"You all right Hiei? "   
  
{Who was that?... Oh yeah... Urameshi.}  
  
"Oi Shrimp!! Why'd you let him do that to you?"  
  
{Hn... Do what to me... what is he talking about?}  
  
"You weren't exactly supposed to kill him."  
  
The wind rushed by and in his now overly sensitive ears it seemed to rack his brains and brought on a pounding headache.   
  
{What... Wha...?} He closed his hands over his ears and shook his head.  
  
{Make it stop .. make it stop...!!}   
  
"Hiei!!!"   
  
{The pain.....it... went away?}   
  
Hiei opened his eyes and found himself looking up at two very strange looking people wearing green and blue. He was sitting on the ground and his back was against a tree... dribble escaped his mouth and streamed down to his chin... It was light outside by now... The sun cast a red haze across the sky.  
  
Red.... Just then the vision of a tall slender red haired creature of astonishing beauty flashed in front of his eyes. The creature danced and twirled brandishing a long thorny green thing that danced and twirled too.  
  
Soon Hiei was on his feet... dancing... twirling... though he could never hope to be as graceful as the red haired Kurama...  
  
Kurama? That was the name... he knew it was....  
  
and as soon as the name flew through his head, something in the back of his mind took control of his body... In a desperate attempt to regain control of his conscious Hiei issued a single fierce command.  
  
{Find Kurama!!!! }  
  
Hiei stopped his maniacal dance and stumbled in place. He jumped as a large hand was placed on his shoulder. But he knew this wasn't Kurama...  
  
{Find him!!!!} He disappeared in a flash leaving his two team mates staring at air with jaws agape and eyes oh so confused.  
  
Hiei leaped on top of buildings... and was exhilarated by the sensation of flying... The wind in his hair and against his face was so refreshing and for some reason he wanted to grasp and savor the sensation because it felt as if it was a long time since he'd last lost himself to feeling with abandon... yes.... a very long time indeed... The sun steadily rose higher in the sky while Hiei pranced and played on the roof and treetops.  
  
He also practiced his twirling on the very edge of a particularly high roof top and ignored the frantic panicked gasps of the people below as he twirled and twirled  
  
"Oh God! ... Somebody help that boy!"  
  
"Call the police!"   
  
He'd gathered up quite the crowd below him.. maybe they all came to see him dance?... But he wasn't ready for them to see!  
  
"You can't see me dance till K'rama teaches me!"  
  
And with that he disappeared leaving the group of horrified mortals staring aghast.   
  
By now the sun was high in the sky.. he finally picked up on a familiar energy.. it was the same energy he'd felt when he saw the graceful red head performing... And he followed it...  
  
{Red...Red!!} He finally saw the glint of red as the sunlight reflected off Kurama's silky tresses.  
  
Hiei silently appeared above the red head on a tree branch. His body finally relaxed now... everything would be all right....  
  
{Found him... }His body relaxed to the point where he couldn't even stay upright anymore and he fell forward. He shut his eyes tightly and the sensation of gravity overwhelmed him as yet another vision flashed before his eyes....  
  
Beautiful eyes shedding crystal tears. Pale hands shaking as they dropped him....  
  
{No!!!... dont let me fall!!!!.. Please.!!!} He was falling ....  
  
Falling...  
  
Falling...   
  
And now would come the pain... he didn't know why but deep down inside he knew he'd had this dream many times before and now the pain would come any second.  
  
But... it didn't... He landed on something soft instead of hard rough tree branches...  
  
Something warm wrapped itself around him instead of his broken and battered body falling to the hard ground of the Makai jungle.  
  
Hiei opened his eyes to see the brightly lit scene of a city street in the Ningenkai... He was not broken.. not even in pain...His eyes widened in surprise as he realized this. then he was shook.  
  
"Hiei... What happened?"  
  
Hiei looked towards the soft gentle voice. And he looked up into those beautiful green eyes that were wide with concern... It was him!... The one he'd been looking for..   
  
{Kurama....} Hiei was so taken with awe that he completely missed the way Kurama's eyes momentarily darkened with an emotion that wasn't concern.  
  
"K'rama...?  
  
"Yes Hiei?"  
  
"Do... your dance again fox...."  
  
{Fox?... he dont even have tails}  
  
"Dance?"  
  
Hiei remembered the entire thing.. Kurama pranced round and round gracefully. His audience... were a whole group of demons who must have been jealous of his beautiful dance.. because they kept trying to attack him... They all fell to the ground as Kurama cracked the whip.... Hiei was his only real audience. He watched in awe as the whip ascended above the red head and seemed to pierce the very heavens....  
  
"The one where you touch the sky..." Hiei smiled up at Kurama just before his body reacted to the toxins attacking his system and shut down, putting him into a healing sleep.   
  
-- End Flashback --  
  
And now Hiei sat as motionless as a statue... He only stared at the door where only a few moments ago his Red haired fox had just disappeared behind.. he heard the sound of water running and maybe muttered curses though he couldn't be sure... He wanted to follow the fox but he thought better of it.  
  
Before.. Kurama had told him to stay put and be quiet.. but he didn't listen... and Even though Kurama didn't seem mad at him he still remembered how scary his voice had sounded when Kurama had yelled his name..  
  
"Hiei!!!"   
  
He didn't want to make Kurama angry...  
  
He didn't want to be hated...  
  
He didn't want to be thrown away again...  
  
So he just sat there as obediently as he could... he even slowed his own breathing to make himself seem even more motionless.  
  
He thought back and tried to see if he could remember anything about before... other than the falling the pain.. and the pretty red head... there was little else.. He knew he should have remembered something about the two others who were here earlier but...  
  
The bathroom door swung open and his thoughts remained discontinued as he looked on expectantly. He smiled as Kurama emerged. Kurama wore a fluffy looking white robe. Surely he could move from his spot now right?  
  
Hiei immediately closed the distance between them in a fraction of a heartbeat and was squeezing Kurama tight about the waist.   
  
(......)  
  
(......)  
  
Kurama's hands went to Hiei's shoulders.  
  
"Hiei...." He breathed  
  
"Hmm?" Hiei looked up at him.  
  
This time Hiei did notice the dark look in those eyes.  
  
"You dont know... what you're doing to me.. Hiei..."  
  
Since Hiei's head was resting against Kurama's chest he could hear his heartbeat. And it was racing.  
  
"K'rama?"   
  
Before he knew it, he was suddenly lifted by the waist and set high against Kurama's chest. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around the Kitsune's neck.  
  
Hiei nuzzled Kurama's scented hair.  
  
"Hiei... please..." Kurama whispered into the fire demon's neck.  
  
"Hmm?"   
  
Kurama carried the little demon over to the desk against the wall. He quickly placed Hiei on top of it. Hiei still had his arms locked around his neck in a death grip and could do nothing to escape.   
  
((A lot of good that cold shower did huh?))  
  
He surrendered and leaned into the embrace. He was breathing heavily as if a Sumo wrestler was sitting on his chest.   
  
((Mental image....))  
  
"Hiei... " He murmured again about a hair breadth away from completely losing all control. He tentatively grabbed at Hiei's arms and slowly pried them open. He grabbed Hiei by the hips and scooted him further back on the desk and against the wall behind it.   
  
"Just sit.. I... have to get dressed."   
  
He looked over the fire demon for a few seconds more. Hiei was still mostly covered in chocolate and he knew he'd have to give him yet another bath... He didn't think he could handle that again.  
  
Hiei watched while Kurama went over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of khaki pants and white shirt. He was looking around his room now and noticed the chocolate mural on the wall beside his bed. Kurama sighed and looked back at Hiei now.  
  
Hiei looked away guiltily but quickly glanced back up as he heard the Kitsune chuckle.   
  
"Don't worry Hiei.. I'm not angry."  
  
Hiei flashes a million gigawatt smile.Kurama winced as if stung and looked away.  
  
{He never smiled that way before... And now...}   
  
Kurama looked back at the still Beaming Koorime.  
  
{And now..... He offers them so freely... is this his true nature?}  
  
"K'rama"  
  
{Was this what he was like... before his innocent spirit was broken?}  
  
"K'rama?"  
  
{What happened to you Hiei?.... What made you close off your heart?}  
  
"You wont throw me away?"  
  
Kurama blinked when he was brought out of his train of thoughts as his brain processed what was just said.   
  
Hiei looked away from those sad eyes. They weren't much different from the sad eyes he saw in the vision.... just before he was thrown away. Was Kurama going to do that too?  
  
{Was that what it was?.. Since he was aware... his innocent spirit was probably broken... from the very day of his birth.... Gods...}  
  
Kurama went over to his side and placed a hand under his chin. Hiei was reluctant to meet his gaze but looked up into the green eyes anyway. They weren't sad anymore instead they were alight with a secret laughter... A look that definitely suited the Kitsune more.  
  
"I would never throw you away...."  
  
Hiei again bedazzled the poor fox with a brilliant smile before latching onto him in a tight hug.   
  
This was going to be the end of him and Kurama knew it... He would either die from the effort of trying not to rape him.. Or he would finally give in and take advantage of the Korrime.. Then Hiei would slaughter him when he regained his memories. And from the looks of things... It would most likely be the latter of the two.  
  
But then.... He loved the little Fire demon.... So much... it hurt..... it hurt to the core... especially since under normal circumstances his feelings would never be returned... and now here he was cradling the object of his affections... The subject of his dreams... the thief of his heart... and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to make this into something more.  
  
With a sigh he broke from the embrace and smiled down at Hiei.  
  
{I have to endure this...}  
  
{Not just for myself... But for Hiei... I have to be strong for both of us...}  
  
{I love him too much... I wont take advantage of him.}  
  
With a new air of determination and self righteousness He calmly set the other demon on the floor.  
  
{I would.. never throw you away....}  
  
"Come on chocolate face... We have to get you clean... then you're going to help me clean up this mess you made."  
  
Hiei giggled happily as he was thrown over a shoulder and carried off to the bathroom.  
  
Well... Kurama had cleverly figured that it was only the shirt that had sustained the most damage from the onslaught of chocolate. So he really only had to wash Hiei's face and hands. Lucky him.  
  
But... He couldn't avoid giving Hiei a proper bath forever....  
  
((Grins Deviously))  
  
The next few days went by in a blur... And Kurama found he could practically set his watch by Hiei's cycles (As he's come to call them.)  
  
Hiei had four cycles he followed throughout the course of the day.  
  
1. 8:00 am Hiei wakes up... Hungry as a starved dog... and grumpy as a rabid one.  
  
2. 1:00 pm Hiei watches T.V. And is as cuddly as a kitten. He even purred!  
  
3. 6:00 pm Hiei does nothing... he just sits there... depressed... but he never cries.  
  
4. 12:00 am Hiei falls asleep. though he sometimes has nightmares. Okay... he always has nightmares.  
  
Rinse...  
  
Repeat...  
  
For sleeping arrangements Kurama had pulled out his old futon and was contented to sleep on it as Hiei slept in his western style bed.   
  
He didn't trust himself to sleep in the same bed as the ever tempting fire demon of course. But every morning he'd wake up to find Hiei curled up next to him...  
  
... And every morning he had to commence in a cold shower...  
  
Out of all of Hiei's cycles.. the morning cycle was the one he was most comfortable with... it was as close to Hiei's true self as he could get. Though it was rather hard because he was most uncooperative... especially when it came to hiding him from his mother. The mornings usually went something like this...  
  
"Good Morning Hiei!"  
  
"Hn... Not... leave me alone I wanna sleep."  
  
"But you'll miss breakfast if you do."  
  
"Hn....?"  
  
"I know you're hungry...."  
  
"Where's the food..."  
  
"You're not even going to say please?"  
  
"WHERE IS IT!!!!!???"  
  
"Shhh!!.... All right... if you go in the closet over there that's where the food is... but you have to be very quiet okay?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because the monster will hear you."  
  
"Hn... I'm not afraid."  
  
"But I am... The monster will gobble me up if it found out I was hiding a Hiei in my closet."  
  
"...."  
  
"So... will you be quiet then?... For me?"  
  
"Hn..."  
  
They would hear the soft foot steps from down the hall.  
  
"Hiei!... please hide quick!"  
  
"Hn..." Hiei would comply but not before throwing an exasperated glare over his shoulder.  
  
"Good Morning Shuichi!" Came the gentle voice.  
  
{Hn... That monster didn't sound so tough!}  
  
"Good morning Kasaan."  
  
{Mm... food!}  
  
"Oh... I see you've taken out your old futon."  
  
"Yes... I get really hot in that bed from all the cushioning... The futon is much more comfortable."  
  
"But... It looks as though someone slept in that bed too."  
  
"Well.. I kinda got a back ache in the middle of the night so I just went back to the big bed.. I guess I got too used to not sleeping on the floor."  
  
She giggles "I suppose so."  
  
"Burp!!!"   
  
There was surprise in the voice. "..What was .."  
  
"Ah... Excuse me Kasaan." Kurama said patting his chest.  
  
"It must be those midnight snacks..."  
  
((Kurama's pretty quick with those cover ups ne?))  
  
Sure... Kurama did feel bad referring to Shiori as "The Monster" but he had no choice.  
  
And thusly this was how their day would start. However... right now... It was 4:38 pm and was probably the most trying part of the day... Cuddly lovey dovey Irresistible Hiei was now sitting in Kurama's lap purring contentedly and drinking a fruit juice. They were sitting in "Hiei's" bed and were now watching his favorite program. Rurouni Kenshin. He really liked it because the main character "Kenshin" reminded him so much of his Kurama...   
  
"But he's not as pretty" Hiei was saying once again before snuggling closer into his fox's warmth. right now was a commercial break and since he didn't have the show to completely arrest his attention he now turned it full blast onto his favorite red head.  
  
Kurama merely sat there with his eyes closed. He was breathing very slowly and tried his damnedest to regulate his racing heartbeat.   
  
"K'rama?"   
  
There was his name again whispered oh so softly by his koi.  
  
"Yes Hiei?"   
  
"Why don't you open your eyes?... You dont like the show?"  
  
"No... I do like it... My eyes... I....I'm just thinking."  
  
"Oh...."  
  
(Slurp!!!...)  
  
(Slurp!!!...)  
  
Kurama opened his eyes and looked down into the crimson gems of Hiei's eyes.   
  
"Looks like you ran out... you want some more?"  
  
Hiei nodded cutely.  
  
Just then Kurama thought of something. Hiei had been staying with him for the good part of four days now (In which he'd YET to hear from Yusuke or Kuwabara) and had only once been downstairs. He'd told Hiei there was a monster lurking around on the lower levels and would eat him if he came downstairs..   
  
Yes... He knew it was utterly lame and more than a little unfair to Hiei but it was the only thing He could think of to Keep Hiei from wondering around. But now. the "Monster" was away.... and would be away for the rest of the weekend as she was convinced to go on a cruise with some friends.  
  
"Hiei."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
" Wanna do something fun?"  
  
{{Heh... I can think of a few things....}}  
  
{Shut the Hell up... Not now Youko.}  
  
{{Tch!... Party Pooper!}}  
  
"Yeah.!" Hiei answered excitedly.  
  
"You wanna go downstairs?"  
  
Hiei's eyes widened.  
  
"Don't worry the monster is going to be away for a while."  
  
There it was... That irresistibly cute smile. Gods he wished that Hiei would do it more often when he returned to normal.   
  
"Come on"   
  
He lifted Hiei off his lap and took the smaller hand in his own leading the way out. He was quite surprised when he felt that hand pull out of his hold. Hiei was usually over clingy at this time of day. What gives? Just as he looked back, he was nearly knocked over when Hiei latched onto his back. The little demon flashed a toothy grin at him.  
  
Oh... so it was a piggy back ride was it?  
  
{Shut up....}  
  
{{What?... I didn't even say anything!}}  
  
{You were going to.}  
  
{{Why... the nerve....}}  
  
And with the Youko in check (for the time being) They set off on their "journey into the unknown." Kurama ran down the hall and nimbly hopped down the stairs two at a time to keep things interesting... Hiei giggled and whooped for joy all the way down. Kurama skidded to a halt as they reached the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Shhh..." He said. His green eyes full of caution.   
  
The Koorime's eyes widened and the little hands gripped at his shoulders more tightly. Kurama stealthily crept along the wall and taking a risk he chanced a quick peek around the corner. Hiei let out a small muffled whimper as he buried his face in the red hair.  
  
He was really fighting the urge to burst out laughing right now. It was almost too much fun playing with Hiei this way. He was so innocently oblivious to the game.   
  
"Okay.." He whispered.  
  
"Hiei... I'm gonna put you down. Now stay here and keep an eye out... I'm gonna look around real quick."  
  
Hiei did slide off Kurama's back but he still held the Kitsune's left arm with a vice grip.  
  
"K'rama... I thought you said... the monster was gone!" He whispered urgently.  
  
"I know... It should be but I want to double check to make sure it's safe okay?"  
  
Hiei loosened his arm.  
  
"All right...wait here." He quickly turned the corner before Hiei could catch glimpse of the amused grin on his face. This really was too much fun. And hell! Why shouldn't he try to have some fun?... He'd been through torment these past few days with Hiei always cuddling him the way he did. All the endless cold showers... And If he got just one more nose bleed He knew he'd have to call a blood bank.  
  
But... then again... Once Hiei did get better... chances are he would never be able to hold the elusive fire demon the way he has been.... ever again. And that smile... He knew it could light the darkest void and melt a heart of cold stone. He knew he was little more than a puddle of mush every time he saw it. He heard nervous shuffling back where he'd just left Hiei.  
  
Oh!... right ... back to the game.  
  
He moved further away from the stairway and went into the kitchen.   
  
"Hmm...."  
  
{What to do?.. What to do?.}  
  
A sly grin spread across the delicate mouth. His usually better judgment was blind sided by his own mischievous ways. He was the Youko after all...  
  
3...  
  
2...  
  
1...  
  
He let out a blood curdling scream and collapsed to the floor making sure he made a nice loud thud. He closed his eyes and curled up into a ball. He'd heard the yelp from behind the wall and heard the frantic little foot steps rushing his way he had to bite his tongue hard to keep from smiling.  
  
When was the instant he realized he'd made a huge mistake? Oh... maybe it was when Hiei plopped down on top of him and straddled his hips?... Oh yes... that could be it ... But even more so it was the completely horrified and grief stricken voice that soon came after the weight had settled on him.  
  
"K'rama!... K'rama.!!! ..."   
  
"Please! No!... I....don't wanna be alone again!..."  
  
"K'rama I don't like it down here! Let's go back!"  
  
"Let's go back!"  
  
"Hiei..."  
  
"Let's go back...."  
  
By this time He'd already sat up and cradled the small frame securely in his arms. He was rocking back and forth. All the while cooing softly to calm the trembling bundle that was Hiei.  
  
{Shit!}  
  
What the hell was he thinking scaring Hiei like that!?  
  
That's it.. he wasn't thinking..  
  
{Kurama.. you idiot!...}  
  
"Shh...."  
  
"It's okay...."  
  
"I'm fine... everything's fine..."  
  
{Gods... I'm so retarded sometimes.}  
  
{{You said it.... I didn't.}} (( -- ::nods in agreement:: pretty dumb...))  
  
With one hand he stroked his fingers through Hiei's hair. the other he used to hold the demon close... Hiei was still shivering... was he crying?...No. There was no moisture.   
  
"Hiei... I'm so sorry"   
  
He said nothing so Kurama just continued softly.  
  
"It was mean of me to scare you that way... I'm sorry Hiei... I'm so sorry."  
  
He didn't realize until about five to ten minutes later that the shivering had turned to soft purring. Kurama pulled back just a little to look down at his little koi. Hiei really was like a kitten in a lot of ways. His face was properly proportioned to make him the perfect little kitten. Those almond shaped eyes. And the hair even... it looked very similar to a cat's when it's fur stood on end. He grinned now and Hiei returned the favor.  
  
They sat this way for who knows how long... That's why Kurama was so shocked when he heard the old grandfather clock they had strike the six o clock hour. Was it really that time already?... maybe the clock was wrong?.. His mother must have been tampering with it or something. Yes... that was it.  
  
.... But no... The sun had shifted into a position in the sky where it casted a red light through Kurama's large kitchen windows and into the room. the clock was still chiming.. and all Kurama could do was watch. Now.. while Hiei's second cycle was the most uncomfortable for Kurama. this cycle was by far the worst of them all. He stared at Hiei's face as the expression changed and the smile faded.   
  
A shadow darkened the brilliant red eyes and his eyelids drooped slightly giving him a lethargic expression. his lips shifted to a thin line with the lower lip pouted ever so slightly. Hiei's hands slowly slid from Kurama's shirt where they had been clutching and dropped to his sides. His body didn't stiffen but had he not been breathing he'd be as still as a statue. He was just.... unresponsive.  
  
"..."  
  
"Hiei"  
  
"..."  
  
{Gods I hate this.}   
  
He'd tried countless methods to get Hiei crack a smile or at the very least not look as if he would cry at any given second. He tried the old tickle trick which only earned him a mostly blank if not... slightly confused stare. He tried to play with him.. ((Not that way...)) Spinning him around, dancing with him. Things that he normally loved during the earlier parts of the day... He tried telling stupid jokes, reading him stories, making funny faces, weird noises, he even performed a few pratt falls. (And was greeted by his good friend Lower back pain).   
  
In the end... the only thing he could do was hold him close and try to comfort him as best he could. He was doing that just now... When suddenly ... he was hit with a brilliant idea....  
  
Okay ... maybe it wasn't exactly Brilliant since they were already in the kitchen and it didn't take a rocket scientist... well... you know. But hey it was something he hadn't tried. Maybe if he fed him....   
  
"Hmm.."   
  
{But what to feed him...?}  
  
Thinking back... he immediately came to a conclusion... It definitely had to be something sweet. But it should be something he hadn't given him before.. Hiei had all kinds of candies... and cakes.. Not to mention those chocolate chip cookies he so loved....What else....  
  
{Damn... It's too hot to think!}  
  
((Insert dramatic fanfare music, light bulb, "Eureka", or "By George I think He's got it!"))  
  
{ICE CREAM!}  
  
Perfect!.. absolutely perfect... this had to work.. Okay maybe he was getting a little too far ahead of himself... These cycles were after all just Hiei's way of coping to the poison. But if he could somehow find a way to Break Hiei out of the cycles and bring him more regular... then... that must be a good thing... right?  
  
He certainly hoped so.   
  
Kurama got up, carrying Hiei with him. He sat Hiei at the table and hummed cheerily (much like a house wife) as he set a bowl and spoon in front of the fire demon. He then opened the freezer and looked over it's contents.... Since it was summer... Shiori was very keen on keeping up a nice selection of frozen treats.   
  
Ice cream... ((Mmmm.... drools like an idiot))   
  
Vanilla and chocolate chip chunk., Strawberry, Cookie dough ... His personal favorite. ... He just pulled out all of them.... If He was going to introduce Hiei to the wonderful frozen delights... Might as well do it with lots of flavor. ((Pun totally intended even if it was corny as hell.))  
  
He turned back to Hiei and frowned a little when he noticed that he still sat just as he'd left him. His eyes focused straight ahead though not showing any particular interest. Only sadness.  
  
Well damned if Hiei was going to burst his bubble!... Hiei was going to cheer up... and NOW... He... just had to.  
  
{Please Hiei.... I want to see you smile.}  
  
He sat the three cartons on the table and opened them up. he got an ice cream scooper and a bowl and spoon for himself. Then he scooped out huge chunks of the sweet creamy stuff and made a nice little mountain in Hiei's bowl. Hiei sat there the whole time... watching Kurama's antics just as he had watched during all of Kurama's other attempts to cheer him up.  
  
He only piled the cookie dough flavored ice cream into his own bowl then sat directly across from Hiei. He eyed the demon down intently making sure they made eye contact. When those heavy lidded eyes rested solely on his he lifted his spoon and slowly dug into his ice cream. He put the first spoon full into his mouth and let it melt on his tongue....   
  
Hiei... apparently didn't catch the drift as he just sat there and watched in silence.   
  
"Hiei. Eat it."   
  
Hiei blinked... but that was all.  
  
{I guess I'll have to do it myself.}  
  
He got up and went over to Hiei's side of the table. He truly was hoping for too much when he thought Hiei would simply follow his example. But four days of seeing this overly depressed little Koorime really did a number on Kurama's senses. And he was on the verge of desperation.  
  
Hiei didn't move as he felt the gentle hand under his chin... but he still turned his head towards the red head with the slightest of pressure. Now he was looking into green eyes. they were pretty... everything he wasn't.... never would be.   
  
"Open your mouth Hiei."  
  
He only stared up but then he was again gently prompted to open his mouth with a light squeeze of his jaw between the Kitsune's fingers. Hiei did open his mouth just wide enough for Kurama to drop a small mound of ice cream inside.   
  
It took about five seconds for Hiei to register exactly what it was that was happening to his mouth... It was cold!.... So intensely cold, he almost completely ignored the sweet flavor as he let his mouth hang open hoping the frigid stuff would fall out. But, then again he only almost completely ignored the flavor. just as the stuff melted on his tongue his senses were assaulted yet again. But by the unique flavor this time.  
  
It was... so very sweet... and milky and tasty.... Yet it was soft and cold and melted like snow.....  
  
Kurama only stood back as the many expressions passed across Hiei's features... at first he was worried that Hiei was going to gag... but then he watched as the fire demon got used to it... and the expression changed from shock... to apprehension... and .... what was this?.... was there possibly a hint of a smile in those eyes?  
  
Kurama admitted he didn't know what to expect but he had actually achieved his goal of getting more out of the demon other than complete sadness.... even if it was shock.  
  
{What?.... }  
  
{Wait... Now that is DEFINITELY a grin!}  
  
Hiei smiled up at the widened green eyes of his red head.  
  
"K'rama... It's just like snow but sweet!... Is it sweet snow?"  
  
He talked!...It's 6:15 pm... and Hiei is smiling  
  
Some how Kurama had managed to pull off yet another miracle...  
  
He'd discovered the quickest way to Hiei's smile. was through "Sweet Snow."   
  
((sighs Phew! Another chapter down... another wacky misadventure... I'm sorry this chapter was so long and really didn't go anywhere... I'm still debating if I even like this chapter or not... I just hope one of you like it. Just like chapter one... this one went on much longer than I originally intended and I just kept adding more and more stuff till it became insanely long. Hiei was supposed to be getting his memories back by the end of this chapter. sighs see how much I run off on a tangent?... well.. I'm glad I could at least give a little taste of Hiei while he was in character at the beginning of the chapter... so maybe it wasn't a complete and total waste. anyway... Next chapter I SOOO SWEAR that Hiei will be ooc for only a little longer and then we will have our old Hiei back!.... Don't worry I wont blow it this time!   
  
Next chapter will be called "Walls" see ya then!)) 


	4. Walls

((So here it comes.... I think I'll call this "The Transition Chapter" You guys have no idea how hard this one was... where most people get writer's block... I get the proverbial "Endless Brain Fart Syndrome" It is a chronic illness that plagues those who love to write fan fiction, (in most cases Yaoi) and has been proven to be hereditary. (curses father)  
  
Symptoms include: Bouts of inexplainable unhappiness with writing, Being totally inept with the concepts of grammar, spelling, and the basic structure of a sentence. And of course... Vast and endless blank spots where a story should be.... so in conclusion.. Let's just say that... I had "A lot of fun" with this one.  
  
To those of you who are actually following along with my wacky story... thanks a billion times infinity... Cause every time I got a brain fart I just looked at your reviews and they pulled me through... Keep them coming !.... they are quickly becoming the source of my life's energy!!  
  
As you are all too well aware.. I took a really long time getting this chapter out.. I'm sorry really I am ... But in essence of that I've also posted one long big ole chapter for you guys... so really you're getting about 3 chapters in one here... thank you so much for waiting if you haven't forgotten about my story that is.... I hope you're in for a long sit.  
  
All right... as you all know... all the disclaimers and warnings from the Prologue chapter still stand but here's a new one though, there will be a touch of gore in this one.  
  
((...)) = Endless babbling from the author  
  
{...} = Thoughts from a character. (Youko in this chapter... YAY!)  
  
{{...}} = Youko thoughts

{{ Walls }}

And...  
  
{Five...}  
  
{Four...}  
  
{Three...}  
  
{Two...}  
  
"A-Ahhh!!! "K'rama!!... My head!!! IT HURTS!!!!"  
  
"I told you to go slower Hiei...."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Now just wait.... It'll go away."  
  
Hiei Clawed at is hair and tugged in an effort to relieve the pain that could only be gained from a frozen brain. ((Hey I think that rhymed))  
  
Kurama just laughed.  
  
Poor Hiei had to sit it out yet again. This was what?... Maybe his tenth headache in the last five minutes? Kurama looked over the three empty cartons of ice cream that had been full only a half hour ago... He was beginning to wonder if this was healthy for Hiei in his condition. Fire demon or not, you cant just live on ice cream alone... can you?  
  
((I know I sure try...))  
  
"Hiei... you do know that we dont have any ice cream left...."  
  
Apparently Hiei was a little too busy digging into his bowl to pay much attention. At this rate he would get another brain freeze in...  
  
"A-Ahhh!....."  
  
Kurama closed his eyes and sighed.

10:00 PM ((... Do you know where your children are?...))  
  
Finally coming down off his "Sweet Snow" induced high... Hiei stared up at the ceiling of the dark room from Kurama's bed. It was all he could do not to fall asleep and relive those nightmares again.... "His" nightmares. He wouldn't return there... He just wouldn't!  
  
"Can't sleep?"  
  
Hiei turned to see Kurama propped up on an elbow while he lay in his futon. The soft glow of the television set was the only light to the room. (Hiei didn't like to sleep in complete darkness)  
Hiei glanced at the muted program before shaking his head in reply. (The news was on.)  
  
Kurama took in a sharp breath before saying...  
  
"Do you want to sleep next to me?"  
  
Immediately the spiky head nodded and Hiei rushed to un-tangle himself from the mess of covers. Kurama laughed at the spectacle. Well... actually he laughed to settle the knots bunching up in his stomach. He knew he was getting himself into a dangerous situation.  
  
But...  
  
Hiei finally managed to find a way out of the prison of covers and was rushing over to Kurama's side now. He was wearing one of Kurama's old pajamas (teddy bears and all). Kurama had time to go rummaging through all the old boxes they had stored away in the attic.  
  
He almost wanted to laugh again. Hiei ...wearing pajamas with teddy bears imprinted on it. He would have taken a picture just for the memory. But if Hiei were to somehow find out when he got better; well let's just say the police would have a hard time identifying Kurama's body. Even he had always hated those pajamas. But oh well. They were serving their purpose. He couldn't have Hiei romping around in clothes that practically fell off him every time he moved.  
  
(That almost gave poor Kurama a heart attack.)  
  
Now Hiei was cuddling next to him and small arms were circled around his waist. Hiei buried his face into Kurama's chest and seemed contented to stay that way. Kurama wrapped his arms around Him. One hand rested against the small of his back, the other absently running fingers through Hiei's hair. His hair, though still rebelliously spiky, it now was soft as silk from all the conditioners Kurama had used on it.  
  
(Yet another thing he knew Hiei wouldn't appreciate when he got better. Especially now since his hair smelled like an apple orchard.)  
  
Though Kurama had somewhat gotten used to the cuddly and clingy Hiei... He still couldn't quite get over the fact that the little fire demon purred. He was doing that right now. And it amazed him to no end. Of course, it was also very enticing.  
  
{Think of something else...}  
  
{{Hmm.... Positions?}} His Youko side suggested.  
  
{Uh... No?}

{{Boring.}}  
  
{Shut up!!! .... Gods I cant believe I was such a pervert!}  
  
{{Correction: "Gods I cant believe I'm STILL such a pervert."}}  
  
{....It's too late for this....}  
  
{{Heh... You're all out of fight tonight. Maybe now we could scr-}}  
  
{SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!}  
  
For the thousandth time this week he'd given himself a headache. But he didn't want to dwell on that, as he was sure he'd felt Hiei shiver just now. Since he'd been poisoned, Kurama knew that Hiei had lost control over regulating his body temperature. And thusly he had hot and cold spells. They came on fierce and without warning. But they usually didn't last long.  
  
"Are you cold?" Even as he said it Hiei curled in closer to him and he held the small body closer still. Yet Kurama was sure he felt Hiei shake his head "No" against his chest.  
  
{Why is he being so quiet?}  
  
"Hiei. What's wrong? Speak to me."  
  
Hiei pulled back just enough to gaze solemnly up at the Kitsune and the red head felt his breath catch.  
  
"I dont wanna go back K'rama."  
  
"Go back? ... Where?"  
  
"Back in the dark."  
  
Okay now he was really confused. Was he scared because the room was dark? What was he talking about? Kurama's headache did nothing to help in his confusion.

"Do you want me to turn the lights back on?" Kurama asked when he could think of nothing else.  
  
Hiei then turned a look on him that made his heart stop. It must have stopped. That could be the only reason for him to be breathing so hard, to make up for the lost beat.  
  
"What is it? ... Please don't cry Hiei... " His hands were shaking as they cupped the small face.  
  
He was panicking. He knew it. Even before, when Hiei had gone through his "Depression Cycle" he'd never seemed this close to crying. Kurama didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to say.  
  
"I don't wanna leave... I wanna stay... please let me stay."  
  
He truly didn't know what Hiei was talking about. But how could he deny him anything?  
  
"Of course you can stay Hiei... You can stay as long as you like. Just please don't cry." He pleaded.  
  
Hiei just closed his eyes and whispered something so low Kurama didn't catch it.  
  
"What was that?" He leaned in closer.  
  
"Do you think I'm weak?"  
  
What? Where's all of this coming from?  
  
He held him tighter.  
  
"No Hiei. I don't think you are weak."  
  
"He does..." Hiei whispered sadly, and so low Kurama missed it again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"K'rama, How do I become strong like you?" Hiei's eyes were more inquisitive than sad now. Much to Kurama's relief.  
  
"Strong... Like me?"  
  
Well Figure that... He never thought he'd live to hear Hiei say such words.  
  
But then again he never thought he would get the fire demon to become obsessed with ice cream, or sit in his lap, or cuddle with him... Kurama released a sigh in Hiei's hair and his arms went even tighter around him. Suddenly a thought dropped into his head. Maybe he was desperate to get Hiei back to normal, or maybe some deity really was looking out for him, cause this was his best idea in a while.  
  
If I told him stories about his past, maybe...  
  
" Well... I know of someone stronger than me."  
  
Hiei lifted his head.  
  
"Really?" His eyes widened in awe. Kurama smiled warmly.  
  
"Mm hmm." Kurama hummed.  
  
"Tell me."  
  
Kurama's smile only widened at the request.  
  
"Well..." He began.  
  
{Hmm....' Once Upon A Time ' is more than a little corny but oh well...}  
  
"Once upon a time...There was a brave and noble young warrior. He was smart, loyal, and as quick as they come."  
  
"Was he as pretty as you?" Asked Hiei.  
  
Kurama looked down into those eyes that were an impossible ruby red. With one hand he lightly caressed Hiei's cheek.  
  
"Oh yes... He was very beautiful. In fact, he was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."  
  
Hiei just smiled and rubbed his cheek against Kurama's palm, much like a kitten does. Kurama couldn't help but blush despite himself.  
  
{Hiei.... If you only knew.... If you were only aware...}  
  
"Tell me!" Hiei whined, breaking Kurama out of his day dream. ((But it's pass 10:00 pm....))  
  
"Oh...um..." Kurama mumbled  
  
Had Hiei been his normal self, Kurama was sure he would have spat some nasty comment or made a rude gesture. Hiei just didn't like that, being stared at of course.  
  
"Well... When the warrior was very young, he was sent away from his home."  
  
Kurama knew Hiei had nightmares about being thrown off the ice continent already. He had to be subtle and slightly alter the details. No need to give Hiei even more nightmares.  
  
"Why was he sent away?"  
  
"Because... three evil ice witches put a curse on him."  
  
Hiei gasped dramatically and Kurama just chuckled.  
  
{How cute...}  
  
{{Yes.... Let's make him gasp again.}}  
  
{Cut it out... now...}  
  
The youko's deep laughter echoed then faded in his head.  
  
"K'rama.!" Hiei complained again after the pause in his bedtime story.  
  
"Oh... I'm sorry. Right." He took a deep steadying breath.  
  
"The people of his village feared him because of his curse, because it made him different. So he was sent away. And he could not ever return there until he had broken the curse."  
  
"How does he break it?"  
  
"Now now Hiei, Patience..." Kurama said.  
  
"He didn't know how to break it. The only thing he knew was that he was all alone now. So the only thing he could do was become stronger. And he did."  
  
"How does he become stronger?"  
  
"Hiei.... You'll ruin the story if you rush it." He reprimanded. In fact now that he thought about it, Kurama really didn't know enough details about Hiei's past to tell him that... Guess he had to wing it.  
  
He did however know a few important events from the little that Hiei had let him know.

(Some light browsing through Hiei's file in spirit world helped too.)  
  
" He met a group of travelers who turned out to be thieves. " Kurama continued.  
  
"Thieves.... That's people who take things from other people right?"  
  
"That's right Hiei..."  
  
"But they're not always bad." Hiei added.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
They'd already had the talk about "thieves" earlier that week. And Kurama (Being a legendary thief and all) could not have Hiei thinking that thieves were all bad now could he?  
  
"Not all thieves are bad because these thieves took care of the warrior and they taught him many things... Like how to use a sword."  
  
If he didn't know any better he would not have noticed Hiei's cringing at the mention of a sword. He thought it strange... No, downright ironic how Hiei seemed to avoid his Katana. The normal Hiei, would almost never be seen without his blade at his side. But in the past few days he noticed that Hiei would steer clear of the thing. He even caught the fire demon scowling at it as if it were some dirty thing he meant to be rid of.  
  
{Funny how he likes watching Rurouni Kenshin which is all about swords.}  
  
"They taught him how to survive.... how to be strong." He continued as if not noticing.  
  
"But soon the three ice witches found him traveling with the group, and they put a spell on all of his friends to make them betray and hurt him."  
  
{The first golden rule of a thief. ' There is no honor among thieves.' ... That was their first true lesson to you Hiei...}  
  
Of course he wouldn't tell him that part. So he just threw in the three "Ice Witches" to explain the betrayal.  
  
"The young warrior had to leave them then. He was very sad that he'd lost his friends but he knew he had to become stronger so he wouldn't have to depend on others to survive."  
  
Hiei sighed sadly at this.  
  
"Will he always be alone? "  
  
"Hiei please let me get to that..."  
  
"He then found someone who could help him. Someone who gave him a magical crystal that made it easy for him to find what he was looking for."  
  
The "crystal" he was referring to was in fact the Jagan on Hiei's forehead.  
  
"Cause he was looking to break the curse right?" Hiei asked.  
  
"Yes... He looked into the magical crystal and..."  
  
"But didn't he have to do something to get that person to help him?" Hiei interrupted yet again.  
  
"What?" Kurama asked, confused.  
  
"He had to do something... for the person to give him the crystal... He... had to hurt himself..."  
  
{Oh Gods... Is Hiei remembering?!}  
  
This was what he wanted so why did the thought horrify him so? Would this be the end of it all now?... He'd never be able to hold Hiei again after this night would he? Is that what he really wanted?  
  
{I don't know...!!!!} He shouted inwardly. He just didn't know anymore... it was so abrupt.  
  
"K'rama...."  
  
The whisper came so soft but it was just as effective as any scream would have been. For the third time tonight he'd been brought out of his own head and back into reality by Hiei.  
  
"What was his name?" Hiei asked.  
  
It was a simple question really. One that should just as easily have a simple answer. And it did in fact. But then why was it do damn hard to just tell him that the warrior's name was his own. For Hiei and the warrior was one and the same. But... What if it triggered something to bring his memories back? ... But then why wouldn't he want that? That was the whole point at telling him the story in the first place... to jog his memory.  
  
So he was back at this argument again....  
  
Then it occurred to him. He'd changed a few subtle details in the story so far.. he could do the same with this one too right? After all, he wanted it all to be subtle so Hiei could ponder it a little. He didn't want to overwhelm Hiei with the full blast of all his memories. Sure that was it. He was going for subtle.  
  
"His name... "  
  
{Don't completely lie... just soften it a bit.} He told himself.  
  
"They called him... The Dragon."  
  
"Oh..." Hiei murmured thoughtfully just before releasing a long yawn.  
  
"You're tired Hiei... And it's really late. I think it's time for sleep.  
  
"But I don... wanna go to sleep." Hiei half murmured half yawned.  
  
Kurama just smiled. He wouldn't have to coax the fire demon anymore since he was already half asleep as it was. He lay there and waited for Hiei's eyes to close completely and for his breathing to become slower and deeper. It was then that Kurama finally released a sigh of relief.

The moon was at it's crescent in the starry night sky. Kurama sat at his desk with a pencil drumming against his chin in an thoughtful manner. A math book was spread open to page 336 in front of him and there was this problem he just couldn't get. No matter how many times he looked over the numbers they just didn't make any sense. And he could have sworn the numbers changed every time he looked back over them.  
  
He dropped the pencil and pushed the book away. With a sigh of temporary defeat he just leaned back against the chair. It must have been the heat, he thought as he absently fanned himself. He then looked over to his window and immediately wondered why it was still closed in such heat. Kurama stood up and padded over to the closed window. He unlocked and completely opened it.  
  
A gasp escaped the teen as a force knocked him back and strong arms wrapped around his neck tightly. He stumbled backwards and tripped on something he just knew wasn't there a second earlier. He fell and landed on his back, the weight still on him and all. He found himself drowning in endless pools of crimson fire as he stared into those almond shaped eyes. Those eyes that were usually cold were now reminiscent to a smile. Yet they were darkened with a definite heat Kurama had never seen before.  
  
"Hiei" He breathed.  
  
He then felt small fingers lacing his own and his arms were pulled up to rest against the floor on either side of his head. Hiei was straddling him and he felt himself becoming aroused at a startling rate. Hiei's face lowered and was now only inches away.  
  
"You want me (Hiei) don't you Kitsune?" Hiei asked, his voice husky and seducing.  
  
Kurama thought he'd heard and echo of Hiei's name when he spoke but all thoughts immediately fluttered away as he felt Hiei grind his hips tightly against him. He let out a gasp.  
  
"H-Hai.. I do." Was all he could manage between excited pants.  
  
Hiei smirked and placed a feather light kiss onto the lips that drove Kurama's senses completely wild. He craved more and he pushed up against Hiei's mouth in a nearly desperate attempt to deepen the kiss. Hiei did not relent and allowed the invasion. He still held Kurama's hands against the floor in a submissive position however.  
  
Finally breaking away for lack of air Hiei sat up completely and looked down into the Kitsune's emerald eyes. His expression was unreadable ... as per usual.  
  
"Then do you not want me (him) back?"  
  
Kurama was beyond all ability to think as it was didn't he ask the same question a few seconds ago? And what was with that echo? He just wanted to do it already and if he could just get his hands up...  
  
"Hiei... Please... Yes Yes I want you... I want you back."  
  
As in 'I want you back down here so I can screw you senseless.'  
  
He knew he should let Hiei take his time but it was getting more and more difficult with him so near... so hot... It was killing him. Kurama glanced trough the window at the full moon that seemed blood red through the haze of passion that painted everything in his field of vision crimson. Why wasn't Hiei moving?  
  
"I want you I want you I want you!" He screamed.  
  
Hiei's lips twitched upward in a nearly microscopic smile just before he descended and claimed Kurama's lips once more. Again the Kitsune hungrily tried to deepen the kiss. The muscles in Kurama's arms grew taut as he tried to free his hands. He wanted to touch Hiei so badly, to free him of those annoying clothes, to free himself of the pressure building down below.  
  
Hiei moved from the lips and started to make a trail of soft kisses along Kurama's jaw and up towards his ear. As he did this Kurama could feel Hiei release his left hand and small fingers slowly moved down his chest, coming to a stop over his heart. Hiei's mouth just reached his left ear and the fire demon kissed it once before breathing one word into it hotly.  
  
"Liar "  
  
Kurama felt a terrible excruciating pain just where Hiei's hand had rested and he screamed out in shock and horror as he watched Hiei slowly sit up. His eyes were cold and distant... not his own.. .or were they?. Kurama's eyes widened in utter terror as he saw blood dripping down Hiei's wrist. Blood that was dripping from the still pulsating organ in his hand... Kurama's heart.  
  
He wanted to scream but he had no voice.  
  
"You can't steal mine (his) if you don't have yours "  
  
Kurama's eyes widened further yet still and Hiei's dark and mirthless smile spread as his hand closed into a fist, crushing the heart.  
  
(( O.O ))  
  
The horrified teen let out a frightened yelp and woke up with a jolt as his hand grasped at his chest, clenching the fabric just over his heart. Other than the fact that he was drenched in sweat there was no blood, no pain. He was still gasping for air though, and the images seemed to be burned into the back of his eyelids and in his mind. His eyes quickly shot to the small body still sound asleep next to him. The dim light of the rising sun illuminated the Koorime's features and Kurama could clearly see that whatever Hiei was dreaming about, it was making him smile.  
  
A heart warming spectacle it normally would have been if not for the image of that cold and malevolent smile of Hiei as he sat above him holding his beating heart. Kurama sat there staring at him for a few minutes He noted his clearly unguarded features, that smile that seemed to grow wider when he heard it... whispered so softly.  
  
"You want me back..."  
  
Kurama felt his blood run cold. He took in sharp gasping breaths as he fought to calm himself. Thoughts flew through his mind at a dizzying pace. What Hiei just said... was too close to what was said in his dream. Was it at all possible that sweet and innocent Hiei was having the very same dream as he did... and was enjoying it? Did he in fact make Kurama have that nightmare? Well in all fairness, the fire demon's true personality was far from "sweet and innocent" after all.  
  
No! it couldn't be. It damn well better not be! But what if it was? Answers.. He needed answers.  
  
Normally he wouldn't let a dream freak him out like this. He would just casually explain it away with logic. But there was a most disturbing element to this dream that just could not be ignored, and could not be explained through logic either, lest he wished to contradict himself. You're not supposed to feel pain in a dream, at least not like that. And he had, as real as if his heart had actually been ripped from his chest.  
  
This was something that could only be achieved through use of some sort of demonic power. Say... a demonic eye for instance?  
  
He grabbed the Koorime's shoulders and shook him, maybe a little rougher than he intended but his nerves were getting the best of him. He had to know and now.  
  
Hiei murmured incoherently and sleepy eyes cracked open a little before drifting off again.  
  
"Wake up!" Kurama's voice was slightly raised and his hands gripped tighter.  
  
It was then that bleary red eyes opened slightly. Hiei yawned sleepily. Everything was still blurry as his vision shifted from dream land. It had been such a good dream too. Imagine his shock when the first thing he could make out were those beautiful green eyes staring down at him angrily. He half thought he was still asleep and had slipped into a nightmare after all.  
  
At seeing the shocked then immediately worried expression Kurama's brows furrowed. He wondered if the Koorime was possibly hiding something and perhaps that was why he looked so worried now. But he would wonder no more.  
  
"What were you dreaming about just now?" He inquired forcefully.  
  
Hiei had never seen a look in those eyes that was quite like this one. Oh... what had he been dreaming about before? Why couldn't he hurry up and remember? If only to make the Kitsune happy and not look so angry.  
  
"I...I don't... " Hiei stammered then looked away, hoping to focus on anything but the anger in front of him.  
  
So he was to be hated after all? Just like he was hated in all of his dreams of many nights past. He only wished he knew what he'd done to make the Kitsune mad now. If only he could remember... Hiei swallowed hard over the growing lump in his throat and closed his eyes. Maybe this was just a bad dream. He tried really hard to remember what he had dreamed about. It had been something good for once that much he knew, then it finally came to him.  
  
Kurama had watched the changes in the Hiei's expressions closely and he was soon very regretful for having been so angry and forceful with him. Especially when Hiei answered his question with a frail disheartened voice.  
  
"In my dream I was sitting under a tree outside and watching you dance... and I was eating sweet snow ... and no matter how much I ate... it never ran out.. and you never stopped dancing.... and...."  
  
The rest remained temporarily unfinished as Hiei was pulled into a love filled embrace. Hiei just shuddered at the affectionate gesture. It was so different from what he'd expected. Pushed away, sneered at... something along those lines. Not hugged. And it felt so good he dare not open his eyes to see if it was real, so instead, he just continued.  
  
"And... then I heard your voice... and you said you want me back. It made me so happy.... but then..... "  
  
Kurama just tightened his grip around his precious bundle . They were laying side by side and both felt as if they still weren't close enough. Kurama silently cursed himself however. Of course! Hiei had only heard him talking in his sleep and had heard him saying he wanted him back. Naturally it interacted with his own dream. Gods.. how could he have suspected Hiei of doing something so terrible?  
  
He was pretty sure Hiei didn't even know how to use the Jagan at all let alone use it to manipulate another's dream. The more he thought about it the more he hated himself for upsetting his beautiful little fire demon.  
  
{Damn it...}  
  
It had been less than twenty four hours and he'd managed to scare Hiei nearly to the point of tears twice.  
  
{Nice work...}  
  
He frowned and pulled Hiei closer as he softly whispered his apologies to him. He was going to have to make it up to him somehow...  
  
"Hiei..."  
  
His frown deepened a little as he felt the body cringe. But then those ever hesitant red eyes slowly rose to meet the greened hues of the Kitsune's. Kurama put on a warm smile for his fire baby.  
  
"How would you like to go outside?"

"Todays weather report straight to you from J-Wave 81.3 FM. Home of the best music on the planet! Today we'll be reaching record highs of ninety seven degrees fahrenheit, with a humidity level of seventy-eight percent . Get out that sun block, it's going to be sweltering today folks! It is highly advised not to spend too many hours in the sun and to drink plenty of fluids! ... Tonight there's a seventy percent chance of rain With lows of... "  
  
Kurama only half listened to the weather as he pulled out a small bright red cooler and filled it with ice from the deep freezer. All the while he had the dryer going with some of his old clothing tumbling about. ( No good having Hiei walking around with clothes that reeked of an old attic.) And speaking of the little fire spark... He was taking a rather long time with his bath.  
  
As soon as the red head looked up in the general direction of the bathroom, he heard the happy sing song voice fast approaching.  
  
"K'rama... K'rama... we're going out side!!" Hiei chirped excitedly.  
  
Kurama couldn't help but laugh. It was either that or melt into a puddle of mush on the floor. Hiei was just so irresistibly adorable he didn't know what to do. His laughing stopped abruptly however when Hiei rounded the corner and was there for viewer' pleasure. Picture a fire demon who was still wet from a nice little bath wearing only a towel. Though the said towel was very securely tucked under his arms and held up by a tight little knot in the fabric. (as directed by Kurama) It was still the notion of a very naked Hiei just beneath a single (thin little) layer.  
  
{So easily accessed...}  
  
Better that he didn't start with those thoughts... lest he wished to wake his Youko side that has been pleasantly quiet all morning.  
  
"You're pretty excited huh?" He asked Hiei  
  
{{Yes... and he's not the only one.}}  
  
Scratch that... The Youko lurks after all...  
  
"Yup!" Hiei practically bounced over to his favorite red head.  
  
Kurama just laughed and ruffled the still damp hair. Ever since this morning Hiei had been a regular little lightning bolt of energy. Running about at warp speed and spontaneously coming up with songs for everything as he went along. He actually had a nice singing voice. Still it was probably the funniest thing Kurama had witnessed in all his life. (this one and the last). With Hiei so bubbly and happy he didn't even have time to berate himself over his not so innocent thoughts.  
  
Just then the sound of the buzzer on the dryer hummed through the air. All the while Hiei swayed from side to side on the balls of his feet in time to the music the radio was playing. And Kurama picked through the now dry (and snuggle soft) articles of clothing, trying to come up with an outfit. It was a little hard since all of his older clothes were out of date. And ever the fashion cautious Kitsune that he was, he had to have Hiei dressed up to par. (( Oh so vain ))  
  
Yet he also had the suspicion that no matter what he put on the fire demon, Hiei would make it look good. He glanced over at the pretty one now who was practically twirling to the up beat pop song. Even though a pop song is not something you usually well... twirl to, Hiei pulled it off without looking too moronic. He had a silent grace that he was completely oblivious to. Yup, Hiei was definately one of those "the clothes doesn't make him, he makes the clothes" types.  
  
And Kurama also silently noted to himself to give Hiei a CD walk man to carry around. He seemed to really be enjoying the music. But on to the next dilemma. He frowned to himself as he picked through the selection of clothes. As weird as it sounds Kurama found himself wishing his mother hadn't thrown out his old under pants. He turned back to Hiei again who was sitting on the table with his eyes closed, his head bobbing to the music.  
  
Well, it's not like Hiei isn't used to no underwear...  
  
Kurama had found the answer to the "boxers or briefs" question on the first day when he'd given Hiei a bath. The answer to that of course was neither. And he shouldn't have been too surprised since he never wore such undergarments in his past life. Finally deciding on an outfit he turned to Hiei  
  
"Okay time to get dr..."  
  
::Sorry Kurama cant talk right now as all of his brain cells are being redirected from speech to stopping massive blood loss from on coming nose bleed.:: ((Please leave a message... Beep)

He stood there frozen in place as soon as his eyes fell upon of the sight of Hiei using the towel to dry his hair. The same towel that was supposed to be wrapped around his body.  
  
(( Poor poor Kurama....snickers))  
  
"K'rama? Does it hurt? Your nose is bleeding again." Hiei asked innocently.  
  
"No no!... I'm fine I'll be right back... just have to go take a shower.. ha ha ...um... you should put these on.. I'll .. er be back."  
  
And with that, the unfortunate brain fried red head dashed off at a speed that even rivaled Hiei's. Said demon stood there a little confused, wondering why his fox got nosebleeds so often. And hadn't Kurama already washed? He then looked over to the clothes Kurama had picked out and got to dressing.  
  
A little while later found Kurama emerging from his second cold shower of the day, a few shades paler from blood loss but cleaner all the same. He really needed to find a better way to cope with the molestable morsel that was Hiei and his raging teenage hormones. He got dressed (yet again ) and cautiously made his way back to the kitchen, silently praying that Hiei listened and put on the clothes he'd picked.  
  
When he reached the kitchen a tidal wave of relief flooded through him. Hiei was dressed. He was sitting at the table with his back to the red head. And Kurama was surprised to see he was eating a bowl of cereal. After last night he thought he'd never get him to eat anything but ice cream ever again. Kurama smiled at his good little demon and walked over to him before lightly tapping Hiei on the shoulder. Hiei looked up from his bowl and in one quick maneuver he was out of his seat and immediately attached himself to Kurama with a hug around the waist.  
  
{Gah...}  
  
Kurama found himself wondering if anyone has ever died from receiving a hug from a too cute little youkai. Then he imagined reading his own death certificate.  
  
:: "Shuichi Minaminno, Cause of Death: Spontaneous Combustion of the heart. Immediate after affect of a hug." ::  
  
{Pretty pathetic...}  
  
"Now..now.. Let's have a look at you." He said prying himself from the embrace and stepping back to observe Hiei.  
  
He was right after all. Just as he'd expected, Hiei took what would only be appropriate a decade ago and made it into something all his own, and he looked good.  
  
The clothing was simple really. He wore a short sleeve shirt of deep dark grey that used to be black at one point but had slightly faded over the years. However it was still even toned and fit him well. Over this was a long white sleeve less shirt that was merely a stitch or two wider in the shoulder than a wife beater. This was to both take attention away from the off-black tee under it and to brighten up the outfit a bit. Kurama was more than a little tired of seeing Hiei in black.  
  
just a few inches of red could be seen where the long shirt ended. Hiei was wearing little red biker shorts with two white stripes going up either side. They were only slightly baggy. Kurama thanked Inari when he'd found a pair of old sneakers that fit Hiei. They were black with red and white patterns and the lace was red as well. And he had on white socks.  
  
Kurama was all smiles.  
  
"Did I do good?" Hiei asked with a touch of hopefulness in his voice.  
  
"Yes you did very good. Do you like it?" Kurama asked. Though he already knew the answer.  
  
Hiei merely nodded ecstatically. Kurama could put anything on him and he would like it. As long as it didn't itch, make him trip, or was damp, he was a happy camper.  
  
"Hmm...." He said thoughtfully as he tapped his chin. Something was missing and he couldn't put his finger on it. He studied the Korrime from the feet on up. So far everything seemed perfect but.  
  
Ah ha!  
  
When his scrutiny fell on the spiky head and red eyes he found what was missing. He needed to do something to hide those eyes. See, demonic red eyes weren't exactly of the norm by ningen standards. But he didn't want to put sun glasses on him, that would look tacky. ((Heaven forbid.)) He remained the ever thoughtful artist, trying to finish off his work of art when it hit him.  
  
"Wait here."  
  
He ran upstairs to his room and raided the shelves of his closet before finding what he was looking for. As he was about to head downstairs he remembered he'd almost forgotten about the CD walk man. But then as he thought about it, he decided maybe that wasn't so much of a good idea. He didn't want Hiei to have to deal with changing discs every fifteen minutes. (Not to mention, he didn't want his discs to be scratched up). So he got out an A.M./F.M walk man instead. It was pretty small and could be attached to a belt.  
  
Kurama went back downstairs to find his little Koorime missing in action. Biting down on his lower lip to stop a grin from spreading, he feigned a worried little sigh and went about "searching" for the lost one. This had been an ongoing game between the two. A fun little game of surprise hide and seek that Hiei loved.  
  
"Oh dear.. where have you gone to Hiei?"  
  
He looked under the table, then behind the fridge. Then he went about looking in completely absurd places. (Much to Hiei's amusement)  
  
"Are you down here?"  
  
He checked the little space between the floor and the bottom of the fridge. He was just looking through the cabinets over the sink when a pair of arms circled his waist from behind.  
  
"Got you" Hiei declared with an air of triumph. and Kurama couldn't hold back laughter any more.  
  
"Yes... yes... you got me" He turned to the victorious Korrime while still chuckling.  
  
"All right lets see you. "  
  
When Hiei complied he put a white visor cap on his head. The cap effectively hid the little white starburst of his bangs and went over the warded Jagan. Most importantly it cast a shadow over his his eyes giving them an illusion of a burgundy color. Though burgundy wasn't a natural eye color either, it definately would cause less attention than a startling blood red. Kurama knelt down and wrapped a thin cloth belt over the shirt and attached the walk man to it.  
  
"This is your present for catching me." He said when he saw Hiei's eyes widen in confusion.  
  
He connected the earphones.(They were the small ones that cling to the ears)  
  
"You can listen to music while we're out."  
  
He placed an ear phone to his own ear and turned the small radio on, then winced when he got a static signal full blast. He adjusted the volume and tuned through the stations. He then stopped on 81.3 F.M. (apparently Hiei enjoyed this station most ) then turned over the earphones to the excited little one who'd been patiently waiting.  
  
"And there you go, do you like it?"  
  
Hiei's features were positively beaming with an unexpressed emotion and Kurama was blushing something fierce before he even knew it.

He stood up and took this time to study his masterpiece. Yes the visor had worked perfectly and the belt strap around Hiei's waist accentuated his slim build. Kurama suddenly found himself to be fashionably inadequate to go out with Hiei. He only wore a pair of blue jeans and a green tee shirt. But hey, this wasn't a dressing contest, and Hiei looked so cute he'd probably win if it was.  
  
Then with an air of finality, Kurama grabbed the red cooler filled with refreshments in one hand and took one of Hiei's small hands in the other.  
  
"Time to go."  
  
It was still fairly early in the day. The sun was still on the rise indicating it was sometime before noon. But of course, none of that mattered. Time simply didn't seem to exist while the two walked side by side. The normal stares and excited whispers followed behind, yet they weren't all for the beautiful red head as usual. Most of Shuichi's admirers were just wondering, Who was that adorable little boy?  
  
"Maybe he's babysitting for someone?" One girl asked the other.  
  
"Oh... I wish he was my babysitter...." The girl sighed dreamily.  
  
"Um.... wouldn't that make you under age? That's sick." She replied looking at her friend suspiciously.  
  
Both girls straightened up quickly as the object of their obsession walked by. He just glanced their way and blessed them with a bright and friendly smile, as he always did. They could only blush and fall into an uncontrollable fit of nervous giggles.  
  
Hiei waved at the two red faced girls and they waved back cheerily, almost eagerly. This had become common practice since the moment they stepped foot out of the house. Kurama smiled down at the Koorime who was trying to look everywhere at once while holding onto his hand for dear life. Even if it was temporary and somewhat artificial, Kurama couldn't remember the last time he smiled this much or felt this happy. He was sure Hiei must feel the same way.  
  
{But Inari it's hot out...It's too early to be this hot !} He had half a mind to turn the ice filled cooler over his head.  
  
Which was why their first stop would be the park. He was sure that Hiei would enjoy it and a little rest in the shade of a tree sounded really good right about now.  
  
"K'rama what's that?" Hiei asked pointing a little ways down the street.  
  
"That's a bus Hiei" Kurama answered.  
  
"What does it do? " Hiei eyed the large metal carrier a little suspiciously.  
  
Again Kurama found himself trying to hold back a chuckle. "Well, it carries people to different places they want to go."  
  
Now that he thought of it, sitting in an air conditioned bus was looking much more inviting than walking in this vile heat.  
  
That was the bus that stopped not too far from Yusuke's apartment. And he'd been wanting to have a talk with the Earth's spirit detective for a few days now. Ever since Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara and bolted out of Kurama's house at lightening speed, he hadn't seen or heard anything from his partners. And he was sure they had better have a good reason for abandoning him that way... abandoning both of them that way.  
  
The Kitsune looked down at Hiei who was now observing the bus with a hint of longing. He just smiled. Today was Hiei's day... anything for his little fire baby today.  
  
{Change of plans}

"Hiei, would you like to ride on the bus.?"  
  
If it were possible for Hiei to smile any larger his face would have surely split in two. Kurama would have been beaming just now but...  
  
{{Let's give him something else to ride on...}}  
  
(( Waves flag with "Go Youko!" written on it ))  
  
{Damn it Youko!!!}  
  
He choked on a growl of annoyance and tried to make it sound like laughter. But even he had to admit it sounded more like a cross between a wounded dog and a cat choking on a fur ball. Not exactly the most charming combination of sounds. Yet he found Hiei giggling at his own expense. Kurama soon was laughing as well. Hiei's laughter was well worth the embarrassment.  
  
The cool bus ride was a well needed, if short break from the sweltering heat and humidity. All throughout the ride people didn't even bother to discretely steal glances at the two. They out right ogled the pair. Kurama was used to this for certain, but it was increasingly annoying today since he didn't want Hiei to feel uncomfortable. Well.. actually Hiei could care less, he barely even noticed.  
  
"Look K'rama... little busses."  
  
Kurama peered out the window to where Hiei was pointing and laughed. "No Hiei those are cars."  
  
Hiei blinked. "Oh.." He then plastered his face to the window again.  
  
"What's that?" He pointed at the loud two wheeled thing zooming between cars amidst angry honking.  
  
"That is a motorcycle." Kurama answered.  
  
"That?"  
  
"A truck... and that's a van. That one's a motor scooter. "  
  
Kurama was soon wondering how many vehicles he would have to name today as they reached their stop. Hiei immediately tightly gripped Kurama's hand as they stepped off the bus and into the swarming crowd of people walking on the city block. Everyone was practically elbow to elbow and they moved as drones. Kurama watched the very troubled Koorime and decided they should get off the streets soon. And just as the thought crossed his mind the perfect source of salvation came into view.  
  
One thing "this" Hiei shared in common with his normal alter ego was the complete and utter dislike for large crowds. And walking through this ocean of sweaty humans would be imposing to anyone. Hiei's displeasure grew more and more and his pout only deepened as they maneuvered, or rather bumped their way through. That was until they walked into a cool and sweet smelling place.  
  
It was a quaint well lit place with pastel pink colored walls and checkered tiled floors of the same color. To the right were tables lined up along the tall windowed wall. To the left was a long counter and underneath it were glass displays with perfectly delicious looking ice cream models. ((1 this is actually a description for Baskin Robbins....))  
  
A plump, rosy cheeked and apron clad girl greeted them both with a bubbly smile. "Good afternoon and welcome Haagen Dazs. May I take your order?"  
  
"Hmm.." Kurama hummed thoughtfully tapping his chin as he looked over the large display of flavors. He purposefully ignored the growing amount of female coworkers queuing up near by to peer at him. He decided to try something new this time around. "I think I'd like to try the white chocolate raspberry truffle. three scoops? ((What a moutfhull of yum))

He smiled down at Hiei who looked as if his eyes were going to pop right out of his head.  
  
"And what would you like Hiei?"  
  
Hiei, who had yet to let go of Kurama's hand looked up at the Kitsune, his crimson eyes brimming with unexpressed excitement.  
  
"I.. I can have whatever I want?" He asked in disbelief. The onlookers had increased in number and were now commenting at how cute and sweet the little boy was. If they only knew that said boy was really a murderous fire demon with a hidden demonic eye and the ability to unleash a black dragon powerful enough to decimate a continent. ((Oh well.. he's still cute though. hugs Hiei plushie ))  
  
"Well... You can have one thing for now and later on we can get some more." Kurama was willing to admit that he was pretty well off as far as money goes. But if Hiei had his way in this place he'd have to buy the whole place out.  
  
"I want that one..." Hiei immediately pointed at a display through the glass.  
  
" Dulce De Leche. A very good choice that's one of my favorites. How many scoops then?" The girl behind the counter inquired.  
  
"Umm... This many." Hiei held up all ten fingers. Kurama just chuckled a little.  
  
"Uh... two bowls... four scoops each, good for now?" The girl offered in a confused tone. Apparently she didn't believe such a small one could eat that many bowls of ice cream at once. Kurama merely nodded.  
  
"Okay will you be staying?" The girl asked.  
  
"Yes we will." he replied.  
  
One of the star struck girls cleverly took this as an incentive to get her chance at the gorgeous red head.  
  
"I'll show you to your table! Please follow me." She stated importantly leaving all of her jealous coworkers glaring daggers at her back as she lead them to a table by the window.  
  
"Oh... let me just wipe this down for you." And she immediately bent over the table and wiped away the non existent dirt on it slowly and deliberately, making sure to add an extra sway to her hips and giving a good show of her hot pink thong.  
  
{That's tactful.} He thought with disgust as he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at the girl's antics.  
  
Sure she was pretty enough and the skirt she wore left little to the imagination, even without her bending over to show off her assets. But the outright boldness of her to act this way was very unattractive not to mention annoying.  
  
{Where's the supervisor when you need one?}  
  
He realized the answer to his question was standing right before him as the girl finally stood upright. Her name tag read "Supervisor: My name is Izumi" .  
  
"Thank you very much ah... Izumi." He said with a polite smile as he laced a little sarcasm into the use of her name, it was so small in dose however she didn't catch it. He doubted she would have anyway even if he had spelled it out that he wasn't impressed with her in the least.  
  
"You're very welcome..." She said with a seductive twinkle in her eye, then plastered on an artificial smile for Hiei, which irritated Kurama to no end.  
  
"And is this your little brother? He's very cute" She winked at Hiei in mock playfulness.  
  
{Because we look so much alike and all...} Kurama thought in annoyance.  
  
Either he sensed Kurama's growing dislike for the girl or he himself had seen right though the girls false visage. One way or the other Hiei gave the girl the vilest look his sweet face could muster. And the girl immediately paled and backed off. She quickly said something about checking on orders before dashing away. Kurama was pretty sure the look Hiei just gave the girl was even meaner than his usual menacing glare.  
  
"I dont like her K'rama." Hiei informed him after the girl was long gone.  
  
{Interesting...}  
  
"Why is that ?" He inquired.  
  
"She has fake eyes." Hiei stated as he peered at her suspiciously. The girl must have felt his gaze from across the room for she blanched and avoided looking at their table completely.  
  
"Hmm... " Kurama said thoughtfully. And he just left it at that. He figured that Hiei had indeed just seen straight through her falseness and didn't like it.  
  
If they waited long for their ice cream they wouldn't have noticed it for the constant stream of visitors they got at the table. most of them were of course other employees which seemed to consist of all females. Every once in a while other patrons would chat with the charming and alluring pair. Mostly they were compelled to state how sweet and adorable they thought Hiei was. Hiei would dazzle them with the sweetest of smiles while Kurama just smiled pleasantly. It was nice not having all the attention aimed at himself for once.  
  
"Okay three scoops White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle." A new server girl said through a huge smile as she placed the ice cream in front of Kurama.  
  
"And three scoops Tres Leches for you." The girl placed the bowl in front of Hiei.  
  
{That's not right}

"Is there anything else I can get for you?"  
  
"Well actually I believe that's the wrong order. We ordered two large bowls of Dulce De Leche."  
He politely brought to her attention.  
  
The girl immediately reddened with embarrassment and bowed lowly to them a few times apologizing over and over again.  
  
"Oh.. I'm so sorry today's my first day!.. I - I'll get a new one right away!... "  
  
And here she made and attempt to retrieve the wrong order from the little fire demon but apparently he was quite content to keep what he had, for when she reached for the bowl of ice cream Hiei scooted away from her grasp and shot her a look that clearly said "I bite".  
  
The girl took the hint and pulled her hands away as if from a snapping dog. Kurama did everything in his power not to laugh but a chuckle escaped despite his efforts. It seemed the half Koorime was very fiesty when it came to his sweet snow. ((Damn right!))  
  
"Ah.. just put it on my bill?"  
  
20 minutes, 14 scoops of ice cream (11 of which were Hiei's ), and 7 brain freezes later (All of which were Hiei's) found the pair back out in the overly congested streets of Tokyo. Hiei was even more regretful of being back out here since leaving the Haagen Dazs Cafe. So Kurama tried to distract him by giving him little quizzes. He asked him to identify vehicles, shop signs and the general rules of traffic.  
  
He felt Hiei fidget uncomfortably beside him once more. Looks like it's quiz time again. They were coming up on the last cross walk before reaching the park.  
  
"All right Hiei.. what do we do here?"  
  
The Koorime removed the earphones from his ears and seriously studied where they were standing. He looked at the traffic lights and the automobiles.  
  
"We stay put until the cars stop and that light box shows the little man walking." Hiei said a little tentatively.  
  
"Good, and what else?" Kurama prompted.  
  
Hiei was thoughtful for a second before answering. "Then we look both ways before walking to the other side?" He looked up at Kurama though his visor cap hid most of his face from the Kitsune.  
  
"Right.. Very good Hiei." He said ruffled Hiei's hair happily before the light changed and they crossed the street.  
  
Who would have thought the Kitsune's luck would finally change for the better at that very moment as he spotted a certain black haired teen just across the street walking alongside his pretty brown haired girl friend.  
  
{Well well well.....}  
  
How fortunate was he now that he could reap his revenge on that spirit detective for abandoning him alone with Hiei for a week. And what better way than to call him out right in front of Keiko who was more than willing to dish out a few righteous blows to Yusuke's skull?  
  
They were a few paces ahead and had their backs to Hiei and himself. He made his approach discreetly and he held tightly onto Hiei's hand as he led him down the street. It wasn't until he was almost right behind the couple before he decided to make his presence known.  
  
"Good afternoon Yusuke, It's been a while no?" He said in a deceivingly silky soft and friendly tone.  
  
The spirit detective visibly jumped at the sound of the voice and turned around much like a child caught stealing from a candy store.  
  
"It's good to see you as well Keiko-chan." Kurama smiled though he caught Yusuke's plainly guilty look.  
  
"Oh hello Kurama how are..." Her sentence would remain unfinished as she was too busy staring at the shorter demon beside Kurama to complete it.  
  
"Ah.. Hiei?...I-Is that you?" She asked with a look of shock.  
  
For some strange reason, Keiko was very perturbed by the idea of Hiei wearing anything other than black let alone cute retro-wear. ((Hmm.. imagine that.))  
  
And since when did Hiei cling to Kurama like a scared kitten? She thought. Kurama took Keiko's confusion and used it as ammo.  
  
"Oh yes.. I thought fresh air would do Hiei some good. He's gotten much better since the poison was extracted." He stated mildly then smiled at Hiei. The little demon returned a smile so sweet Kurama almost lost his train of thought. Keiko's eyes widened at the display and like a moth to the flame, she was drawn in.  
  
"Poison?... What poison?" She blinked and eyed Hiei as if she were looking for some sort of deformity.  
  
{Alas the moth's wings are singed.} Kurama thought  
  
"The poison of the Makai mind warp plant of course." He stated as if such a detail should be common knowledge.  
  
This was when Yusuke finally decided to join in on the conversation... or rather find a quick exit  
  
"Y-yeah. that was from the last mission. But as you can see Hiei's doing a lot better now eheheh...It was real good seein ya Kurama, " He grabbed Keiko's hand and tried to pull her away. But he might as well have been tugging on a stubborn mule as far as it got him.  
  
"I suppose you must have been busy this week..." Kurama went on despite Yusuke's efforts to flee. "Since you never stopped by to see how Hiei has progressed."  
  
{Add a touch of guilt, give it sunshine... and watch it grow.} He thought with a smile on his face.  
  
Keiko, now drawing pieces together fixed Yusuke to the spot with a searing glare.  
  
"You had another mission.. And you never told me!?" Her voice raised an octave and passer by must have sensed the oncoming danger, for the group of teens suddenly had a lot of space between them and the crowd.  
  
" I-It was just a side mission. S'not like the demon was real dangerous or anything." Yusuke began.  
  
"Apparently the demon was formidable enough to ensnare Hiei in his trap and poison him." Kurama added thoughtfully.  
  
"And then you ABANDONED your own partner while he was poisoned!? What kind of a leader are you anyway!?" She said with a definite fire in her eyes.  
  
"Ah.. Uhh... see what had happened was uh... err....Ah Hell! ...So what! I went on a mission and I forgot to tell you, big deal! And I had.. reasons for not visiting Hiei OKAY!!? Where do you get off mothering me all the time!?"  
  
This was obviously Yusuke's attempt to redeem his pride and some control over the conversation. It was however a very poor tactic and he found out when he saw Keiko's face. Her eyebrow twitched and her fist tightened. Kurama just took Hiei's hand and decided to get as far away from the couple as possible. Hiei surely didn't need to see the violence that was about to unfold here.  
  
They had just entered the park when...  
  
"HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!"  
  
Hiei jumped at the frightful boom of Keiko's voice. Kurama just led him away from the sounds of Yusuke being pummeled and went on with a blissful smile. It was just too easy to stir up a fight between those two. In fact he was pretty sure they would have fought about something else anyway had he not come along. He wondered if they noticed how much they acted like an old married couple.  
  
It was a good sized park, serene, fairly quiet and with a clean pond just in the center. There was also a several playing areas with swings monkey bars and see-saws. Few people were walking about here and there. Some parents leading their small children along or walking dogs. Kurama found the largest, most leafiest tree and sat on the grass under it's shade. He let out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes briefly.  
  
"K'rama... are you sleepy?" Hiei asked with concern very evident in his voice. The Kitsune just opened his eyes and gave Hiei a reassuring look.  
  
"No not exactly, It's just very hot out today and it drains me of energy." Kurama closed his eyes and sighed again while fanning himself a little.  
  
Even if the heat was a little less intense in the shade, it really didn't help much for the humidity. He heard the sounds of Hiei going through the cooler and soon felt something very cold and wet touch his lips. He opened his eyes to find Hiei holding a fruit juice pack in front of him. ((Think Caprisun here people.)) He even had the straw inside the juice pack and everything.  
  
"This will help?" Hiei was kneeling in front of him holding up the token gift right before Kurama, his Crimson eyes were practically begging for The Kitsune's approval. And how could Kurama deny him? He took a great long sip and was feeling better for it. Then again he knew that he really felt better while in the presence of such glowing warmth spilling from his sweet little fire demon.  
  
"That feels a lot better. Thank you so much Hiei."  
  
{Inari! That smile.} It was so sweet, and warm it simply overwhelmed him with innumerable sensations every time he saw it.  
  
He was drowning in those gorgeous ruby eyes and was reaching out to Hiei before his mind had time to put the acts of his body in place. He had to give his head a good shake when he realized he was losing touch of himself. Had he not done this he may have ventured so far as to kiss those delicious looking lips.  
  
{I can't do this...} Why had he thought this would get easier over time?  
  
Here they were in a public place, on display for all to see and he was thinking about making out with Hiei who looked every bit the innocent little boy. Instead of reaching for his love he just took the juice  
  
"A-aren't you hot too Hiei?" Kurama said distractedly. The Koorime just shook his head in reply a small secret little smile gracing his face.  
  
So then he must be learning to regulate his body heat.  
  
"Hmm well at least you're comfortable. That's good..."  
  
But was it?... This was just another sure sign that Hiei was edging ever closer to full recovery and would soon return to his normal state. This should have been something to rejoice in right? Then why did the thought of it sadden him so?  
  
{I must be the biggest hypocrite}

Hiei saw the sudden look of distress on his Kitsune's face and completely racked his brains for a way to make him feel better. What had Kurama done for him whenever he had a nightmare? He would usually hold him close and whisper nice things to him. But as it stood, he was a little too small to cradle the fox in his lap so that wouldn't work. Kurama would also slowly runs his fingers through Hiei's hair and massage as he went along, it had always felt so very good to him.  
  
Imagine Kurama's surprise when he felt small fingers running through his hair and massaging his thought cluddered head with such care and precision. Hiei's hands gently passed through the silky red stands and Kurama opened his mouth to talk but decided against it, afraid he may somehow ruin the moment with his voice. He only dipped his head forward a bit more so the Koorime could have better access. Hiei soon started to hum a soft tune he must have heard on the radio. The melody did sound somewhat familiar, Kurama thought absently.  
  
The sounds of the park, the children at play, the sounds of the city, the honking of drivers, they all drifted away save for the sound of that voice and the lovely chirping of summer birds. It was almost as if he'd been put on a sedative. had it not been for the unbearable humidity Kurama may have been comfortable enough to drift off into slumber. A cool refreshing breeze passed through the park and played with the strands of hair Hiei had yet to tend to. For that instant the heavy wall of heat dispersed and left the red head in a wrapped in a blanket of nostalgia.  
  
The soft scent of the Ningenkai plants and grass suddenly gave way to the more heady perfume of the Makai in full summer bloom. So heavy one could taste the scent on their tongue and revel in it's natural beauty that practically demanded attention. Soft whispering breezes playing though silver fur as Youko Kurama's animal aspect frolicked in the fields like a pup. All the while nipping at the weeping flowers from low hanging stems too thin to hold up the large bud.  
  
{Home...}  
  
Hiei was very surprised when he realized his Kitsune was fast asleep. Was he really that good? Now Kurama would be well rested and very happy when he woke up. Hiei felt himself smiling happily once more, the thought of him taking care of Kurama and helping him absolutely delighted Hiei greatly. If only he could stay with the fox forever even if he knew he never could.  
  
{I want to stay, but...}  
  
But what was that white ball of fluff peeking from behind a tree nearby? It was not much larger than a soccer ball and had downy looking snow white fur and dark eyes. It's fluffy tail curled up over it's back wagged back and forth at an alarming speed. The pup barked a playful invite and being the curious little demon that he was, Hiei was compelled to follow.

Keiko walked... or rather stomped down the street with a definite grimace on her face. Yusuke, a few throbbing lumps on the head richer followed not too far behind. He moodily watched Keiko blaze a clear path through the startled throngs of people walking on the street. All the while she violently sucked on the straw of her strawberry shake as if the cold treat itself was responsible for pissing her off. Never was there a more fearsome looking teenage girl in a pink summer dress and matching hair bow.  
  
After some inner debating Yusuke finally had enough of the chilly atmosphere... or to be more accurate he finally worked up the courage.  
  
"Come on Keiko you dont have to act like that I wasn't even looking at that girl!"  
  
"Hmph!"  
  
{Stupid Yusuke! He would think that's what I'm mad about!} She thought hotly and added more force to her stomping.  
  
"It's not my fault she bent over that way. How could I not see that pink thong."  
  
"Oh so it's a pink thong now!!? I thought you wasn't looking at her!" She spun on her heels and was now giving him one of her famous death glares.  
  
{Oh... damn that was stupid.} Yusuke mentally berated himself.  
  
"Ah... err, heheh... "  
  
Poor Yusuke was rooted to the spot as he knew all to well that such a look meant a battering was soon to come. He hadn't been this sore since.... well actually he's never been clubbed quite like that before. She must be more angrier with him than usual. Was it about what Kurama said back there?  
  
{Damn that Kurama!.. It's like he did that on purpose!... Last time I help him out!} Yusuke thought grumpily.  
  
"You're such an idiot sometimes you know that?" Keiko practically growled at him then she continued her stomp down the street, sending everyone in her path scattering in another direction, she kind of had that affect when she was fuming. And fuming she was indeed.  
  
{I cant believe he left Hiei all alone with Kurama like that! But... then again he doesn't know...}  
  
Her pace slowed little as she went into a thoughtful reverie. Her strawberry shake was receiving much less of her anger now, she quietly sipped at it as she walked along.  
  
It must have been hard for Kurama to take care of Hiei for all this time when he has those feelings to contend with.  
  
Keiko knew all too well of Kurama's feelings for Hiei and for a long time too. Not that the fox knew of her knowledge of course. Unbeknownst to the legendary thief of the Makai, his famous impassive mask was a little more transparent than he would have liked to believe. All the girls in the group figured out that Kurama was in love with Hiei, or if not in love very much in lust for the demon. Keiko just hoped it was the former and not the latter.  
  
"Keiko..."  
  
{Hmm... who had been the first one to figure it out.. Oh yes...}  
  
That had been Shizuru, Kuwabara's tough older sister who apparently drained all of the good genes as far as looks goes. She was a pretty brunette chain smoker with one hell of a fiesty mouth and a mean right hook to boot. Her spirit awareness was second to none, those senses may have been stronger than even her brother's. For that is how Kurama's infatuation came to her attention. She had noticed the sudden flare of excitement in the redheads aura whenever he was around Hiei. Then she started to notice the looks.. and it was all history from there as it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.  
  
{And then Shizuru told me.. oh wait that's right someone else figured it out a little earlier.}  
  
And that someone was Botan. The only blue haired, violet eyed girl floating on a oar in a pink kimono you'll find for miles and miles around. Botan was the sometimes bubble headed chief pilot of The river Styx. In other words she was the sweetest grim reaper you could wish to come across. Well of course not that you'd wish that. Botan being the little gossip kitten that she was took a break from doing a twenty four hour commentary on Keiko and Yusuke's relationship only to sink her curious fangs into something a bit more juicier. Namely the enigmatic yet oblivious fire demon Hiei and his lusting fox team mate. If only Kurama would just tell him how he feels. Not that Botan blamed him for not wanting to reveal those feelings. But it sure would make things more interesting though!  
  
"Oi.. Keiko.."  
  
{And that's when Shizuru told me... though I did notice something between them before. I just didn't know what.}  
  
Keiko remembered asking Shizuru if she was really seeing those looks Kurama would send Hiei's way or if she was just imagining them. And while this was being discussed Botan had been in the background looking as if she'd stolen the greatest treasure in all the three worlds. Oh how she loved to gossip.  
  
A smile came to Keiko's lips at the memory. Soon after they all let Yukina in on the little secret seeing as they couldn't tell the small Koorime of that other very big important one. That one about Hiei being Yukina's brother to be precise. The small aqua haired girl just smiled sweetly as she usually did and said she thought they would be cute together. And thusly the Hiei and Kurama fan club and support group was formed.  
  
"Earth to Keiko... Come in Keiko!"  
  
Yusuke, who was quite fed up with being ignored opted to just annoy the hell out of Keiko until she payed attention to him. As odd as it was, her not paying attention to him was more infuriating than her beating the crap out of him. That being said, he ventured to take it a step further and get something of a rise out of her.  
  
"This isn't about that girl in the ice cream place is it? If you got a bone to pick Don't just mope around, come out and say it!" Yusuke shouted at her back. causing the few passers by to quirk a brow in his direction.  
  
When he was having fist fights with some random thug in a street brawl these tactics were quite effective in getting what he wanted. And when a demon heard his smart mouth it usually pissed them off so much they'd retaliate in anger and would lose the battle. But Yusuke obviously didn't know you can't use the same strategy in dealing with a girlfriend. Namely a girlfriend who was giving him a look so searing and angry that he would have withered away on the spot if she had that power. He was silently counting his blessings that Keiko didn't have any spirit energy just then.  
  
"All right... If you really want to know...." She said started a strangely quiet voice that made Yusuke very uneasy and unsure if he wanted to know at all anymore.  
  
"Leaving Hiei alone with Kurama was just about the stupidest thing you've ever done Yusuke... And that's even including getting run over by that car."  
  
{Oh so it is about that then... Well little does she know...} He thought.  
  
"Look it's not like I was trying to abandon them or anything I already told you I had my reasons okay?"  
  
Keiko threw a hand to her hips at this. "Oh? And what would that be? Let me guess you were busy doing some extra studying before school starts?..." Keiko's voice was positively dripping with sarcasm here. You see, our Yusuke wasn't exactly what you'd consider scholarly. However the spirit detective bristled at her smart comment.  
  
" Ha Friggin Ha... very funny. For your information I left Kurama alone with Hiei for his own good. If it was left up to him he'd be pussy footing around forever. I had to give him a good kick in the pants."  
  
Puzzled, Perplexed, Shocked, Confusion, Disbelief These were just naming a few of the expressions showing on Keiko's face at this moment.  
  
{Heh, finally caught her off guard with that one.} Yusuke thought smugly and so this pushed him to continue.  
  
"Call me crazy, but maybe I've been noticing things about Kurama that everybody else might not be seeing."  
  
Keiko's flabbergasted expression only intensified here.  
  
"Yusuke.. What are you.." She stammered.  
  
"Haven't you noticed, those looks Kurama's always giving Hiei? The way he always wants to take care of him if he gets hurt? And hell You can't forget the way he always looks scared out of his mind whenever it seems Hiei might lose a battle... It's pretty obvious. Fox boy's crushing on Hiei... hard."  
  
Keiko opened her mouth only to find that no words would come out.  
  
{I can't believe... he...} Even her thoughts didn't seem able to process all of this.  
  
"Well... I have noticed" Yusuke continued. "And I also know that Kurama wont ever get around to telling Hiei how he feels on his own. That's why I left Hiei alone with him. I thought that if Hiei was right under him twenty four/ seven, he'd be faced with no other choice than confess his feelings for him. And you saw how Hiei was just a while ago, because of the poison he's reverted to a pre schooler's mental state and gotten all clingy and affectionate. With Hiei like that it's only a matter of time before Kurama cracks up and lets it all out. "  
  
Keiko stood there staring at Yusuke with huge glossy eyes. This had been the very last thing she'd expected him to say.  
  
"You knew?" she whispered.  
  
"Uh.. yeah? How could I not know, it's written all over Kurama's face every time he looks at Hiei. But he's only fooling himself if he thinks he can keep it a secret forever. He needed a check with reality.. so I helped him out.  
  
There was a moments silence.  
  
"You knew he had feelings for Hiei all along... and that's why you left them alone, while Hiei was in a weakened state.." It sounded as if she needed a confirmation that she had all the facts straight.  
  
"Yeah... Heh... I wouldn't be surprised if he's already told Hiei everything.. " He answered.  
  
"Oh... Yusuke" Keiko whispered in an airy manner, her expression looked dreamy and romantic.  
  
Yusuke felt himself grinning with unchecked smugness.  
  
{All Right! Score one for Yusuke the sensitive, caring boyfriend. And professional matchmaker on the side.} ::Insert Applause Here::  
  
He could practically see the hearts in her eyes and pink pastel bubbles floating just in the background. And...was that a harp playing?  
  
{Oh yeah.. I'm in the good now..} The teen even went so far as to chuckle.  
  
"YOU DOLT!!!!!"  
  
Yusuke barely even got a chance to completely hear those words pass her lips before his head met the pavement in the aftermath of a strong fierce slap to the side of the face. After dislodging his head from being embedded in the side walk Yusuke jumped up with a searing red hand print on his face and fire in his eyes,  
  
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!!!!!???"  
  
"YOU IDIOT!!!!! ' CRACK UP AND LET IT ALL OUT!?' I CANT BELEIVE YOU'RE THAT DENSE!!!!" She shouted at him.  
  
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FRIGGIN MIND!? I WAS HELPING KURAMA OUT!!!!"  
  
They had cleared the entire city block from all the maniacal screaming between the two of them.  
  
"It's ONE thing if you left them alone without KNOWING of Kurama's feelings for Hiei... But you PURPOSELY put Kurama in that kind of situation!... How could you do that to him!?" Keiko barked.  
  
"I'm sorry ... DID I MISS SOMETHING HERE!? ... I thought I already told you it was for his OWN DAMN GOOD!. Otherwise Kurama never EVER would have gotten enough courage to spill!... WHAT don't you GET about that!?"  
  
Keiko closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths while counting to ten in her mind. Though this practice did little to help she silently prayed for the strength and patience it was going to take to get through her boyfriend's thick skull.  
  
"No Yusuke.. you're the one who doesn't seem to get it." She opened her eyes now and looked at him, leaving the silent promise of pain if he interrupted. He must have got the message for his mouth just hung open in an unspoken statement when he caught her eyes.  
  
"I'm not gonna lie... I'm pretty surprised you'd notice that much about Kurama's feelings for Hiei. But in knowing that don't you think it was cruel to leave him trapped alone with Hiei in the state he's in?"  
  
Yusuke didn't look like he was getting it.  
  
"Ugh! ... Hiei is NOT his NORMAL self... Kurama can't admit his love for him while he's like this because he'd only be fooling himself.. It would be fake. And to make matters worst Hiei's extremely affectionate in his child like state and is constantly clinging to Kurama. Can you even begin to imagine what Kurama's been going through? Having Hiei so close, and loving, for all this time and yet not being able to do anything about it...."  
  
Finally it seemed to be donning on the spirit detective the severe err in his strategy.  
  
"And what if Kurama was to lose his self control? Then what do you think would happen Yusuke? ... Though I know Kurama isn't that kind of person, it's still very possible all of his feelings are just building and building inside of him until they force themselves out in the worst possible way... He could end up raping Hiei. Do you really want to see that happen? "  
  
"Shit...." Was Yusuke's reply after a long thick silence. "I didn't think of it that way..."  
  
"Well duh... But now that you see it in a new light you're going to fix your mistake aren't you?"  
  
"Huh? What do you.." He stammered.  
  
"You're going to march right back over to that park and volunteer to watch Hiei until he gets better.." She said pleasantly, as if it were the simplest of things.  
  
"I'm gonna do WHAT!?"

((Okay.... Just so you know this chapter was going to be even longer than what it is now... but I just thought... Hey What the hell... I might as well post it here.. It's not like I'm trying to go for a world record or anything.. so .. there you go !.))  
  
I'm very sorry for the long time it took for this chapter to come out but... oh well..  
  
Since the next chapter is really the second part to this one.. I haven't thought up a name for it yet.. But it'll be posted alot faster than this one was you'd better believe it!))


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